It's Your Lucky Day
by Ilovedesserts
Summary: A/U, set during The Closer timeline and moving forward from that. This starts out with Andy being stabbed. Why did he call Sharon first?
1. Chapter 1

"I thought you left," he scowled from his hospital bed. It wasn't like Andy Flynn was going anywhere right now, even though the last place he wanted to be was in a hospital bed with a gaping hole in his side. Now, here, his rest had been disturbed, and he wasn't happy about it. It was bad enough to have an actual pain in his side without another pain in his side standing at the door.

"No, I'm aware it looked like I left, but I went for coffee. Here," she handed it to him, face expressionless as she stood now with her cup in one hand and his extending toward him.

"What's the catch?" he asked, eyeing her. "Did you poison it? That would be just the icing on the cake right now. Stab wound didn't do me in, but a poisoned cup of coffee to finish me off."

"No," she rolled her eyes, sighing. "I didn't poison it. You look like you could use a cup of coffee; you've looked better, but I suppose it could be much worse."

He scowled at her, "Gee, thanks," he said swiping the cup from her, not admitting it was really hot on his hands, and the coffee spilled out just a bit. She must have noticed his quick wincing because he saw a small smile appear on her face before she schooled her features. He wasn't going to admit the coffee had burned his hand, and she wasn't about to admit she'd enjoyed seeing him suffer just a bit.

"Are you going to be okay?" she asked.

He shrugged at her, "Will I live? Well, that's a yes, but will I be 100% or even great again, probably never. Hurts like nothing else, and doc said I might always have a lingering pain there. It grazed a few things, nothing serious. Why? Want to finish me off?"

She zeroed in on him with her eyes, "I'm not here to fight. I had to come for work. You did call me, remember? Now," she changed her stance, putting one hand on her hip, "why is that? Why did you call me? Last I remember, you told me off, told me we were done, and you didn't want to be anywhere I was. Sound familiar? Yet, I keep having to process crime scenes where you and your partner are front and center, and then tonight, when I was out for once, you call me. Now, normally, I get the calls from dispatch, even your chief, which pains her to be the one to call sometimes, but she has. Taylor has even called too, but never the detective directly, until you. Why is that?"

He raised his eyebrows at her, "Well, I knew they'd call you, and like I said-your lucky day-probably got a good laugh coming over here knowing I was stabbed. How ironic I get stabbed, though, not in the back. Seems like you stabbed me in the back, figuratively, I might add, but still," he sighed, covering his face with his hands. "Look, I don't want to answer questions here. Doc said I'd be released in a couple hours, and I can come to your office then. Okay? Can I suffer in peace?"

She changed her stance again, crossing her arms, still with the coffee in one hand, "You don't have to come into work; you need to go home and rest. As much as I don't want to, I can come there to do your interview."

"No," he said sharply. "You're not coming to my house. I'll be at the office in a few hours. Not open for discussion."

She nodded, silently, as she decided what to say to him next, "Look, Andy," she sighed, "we discussed that we have to work together, so can we be professionals about this?"

He glanced at her, "Fine with me, Captain," he snarled. "Just so you know, he did attack me first before I shot at him. That's all I'm going to say, but I didn't want you getting any crazy ideas like I'd gone rogue or something. I didn't break any of your precious rules."

She looked at him over the top of her eyeglasses, "I know you well enough that I don't doubt that. So, unless you want our past in the open, I'd suggest you get over the excessive hostility toward me, at least at work. I get it no one likes me; fine, you can have that attitude there, but this complete bitterness, well, no one there knows about the past, and unless you want that out in the open, you might want to reign it in with me. I'll do my job, if you can do yours. I'll ask the questions; you answer. Whatever might have happened tonight, I don't want you in pain from your injury. Obviously, the stabbing has hurt you severely, and I'd prefer you go home and rest, but who am I to say that?"

"No one; you've got no say in my life, that's right," he added. "Go on," he waved. "Go to work, and I'll let you know when I get there. Okay if I call you when I arrive, or is that too personal, Captain?" he scowled.

She raised an eyebrow at him, "That would be fine. I'll be in my office working on my report. Drink the coffee; it's got cream in it, just how you like it, no sugar. It will give you a little energy, and I thought it was better than food right now. Food might turn your stomach even more."

He looked away and leaned his head back as he closed his eyes. He really didn't want to talk to her anymore, yet he could tell she was still there. "I'll be fine. Provenza is coming back for me. He went back to work, but I promised to call him when they were going to discharge me."

Sharon didn't reply, and he didn't open his eyes to look at her. He could still feel her presence, but then he heard the click of her heels as she moved down the hall. When he could tell she was finally out of sight, he opened his eyes again, sighing, as he looked at the cup of coffee she had brought him. Sharon. Actually, Captain Raydor. Raydor as the team liked to call her. Darth Raydor in fact because she was always in that dark trench coat and always had a commanding presence over everyone. It was a trait he used to like, now he hated. Why had he called her? Well, he wasn't lying when he said he knew she'd be called. He still had her number; he'd always have to really have her number in his phone as long as they both were at the LAPD and she really, was involved in many of their cases. He sighed again; he didn't have a good answer for why he'd called her. Shock maybe? Maybe for a tiny moment, he'd forgotten he couldn't call her anymore. It had been a habit for so long, but that habit was no more, hadn't been for a few months now. While things should be getting better, the anger subsiding, he found it wasn't.

As he sat there in the hospital bed, all alone, he sighed, thinking about what a train wreck the last few months had been, well the last year really. He'd been doing fine up until this past year, and now, well, he had a situation, a situation with the name Sharon, or Captain Sharon Raydor, to be exact, and while he wanted to forget she'd ever existed, it was a problem that wasn't going away. No wonder people said mixing work and pleasure never worked out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! Thanks for the feedback on the first chapter. As I said, I'm planning this to be in an alternate universe, but still trying to stay along the storyline, if that makes sense. Basically, the backstory and actions of the characters won't resemble who they really are on the show, but hey, it's fun to imagine...These characters are not my own. I'm just enjoying them right now. Thanks again!**

* * *

He should have knocked, but he didn't. He was aware that would irritate her, and he was more than fine with that. He entered her office, rather abruptly, probably too quickly, as the pain in his side let him know immediately he was moving too quickly. She was on the phone and obviously, he'd taken her by surprise. She jumped quickly, looking up at him, eyes narrowing, and then she looked back at her phone, as if she could see the person on the other end of it.

"I need to get going. Sorry things were interrupted tonight. Yes, I had a nice time too. Talk to you later," she said, only looking to Andy after she had hung up.

"Lieutenant, I see you have made yourself at home," she said sharply, noting he'd sat down in the chair in front of her desk without being invited.

"Well, we did discuss my coming by work to give my statement. I wasn't about to do this in my office area," he scowled. "Would you like to send me an engraved invitation? I'll leave and wait for it to arrive if you like. However, that might take more than your precious 72-hour reporting cycle, so how about we get this over now? I'm sure you can get back to your personal call there once I'm done here," he grimaced. The pain was getting worse. The pain medication he'd allowed the hospital to administer was starting to wear off.

"Very well," she nodded. "Now, I got some of the basics written down already, so take a look at this so far," she passed the paperwork to him, and he grimaced again as he reached for it. "If you are in too much pain, you need to take some medication."

"I'm fine!" he snarled.

"Okay," she held up her hand as if in surrender. "Have you informed all of your family about your stabbing?"

He looked up at her, eyes narrowing, "Yes, Captain, I've informed my whole family. Why?" he gave her a glare.

"Just asking," she nodded.

"Well, some were more worried than others, and I promised to call them back. Now, if it's okay with you, I'd like to not talk about personal matters here at work, Captain," he said crisply.

"Fair enough," Sharon said.

It was quiet in the office, as Andy scanned the write up Sharon had already started. He explained a few more things, all of which she added. She asked him a few more questions before she finished. "I think we are done here for now, Lieutenant," she said, very professionally. "If there's anything else, I will contact you. As you are aware, Major Crimes is in pursuit of the suspect who stabbed you; your shooting should be cleared soon. I can tell you that much right now."

He stood, grimacing again, as he did. Andy glanced down and saw a picture on her desk. He picked it up, "Oh look, the happy little family," he smirked, looking at a picture of Sharon, Emily, and Ricky. Sharon ignored his comment, shuffling papers on her desk. "If you need anything more, I'll be at my desk."

That caught her attention, "You aren't going home? You were stabbed."

"No, I'm not going home. I'm going to my desk. It's more depressing to go home right now than to sit at my desk and solve murders, if that tells you anything. No, I'll be at my desk," he explained.

"I have a few things to work on here, and then, I will be down to speak to your chief," she said. "Take care of yourself, Andy," she sighed.

Andy's phone rang before he could get out of her office. He pulled it out of his pocket, as he reached the door, "Oh, look, one of my kids calling to check on me. Let me get out of here before I take this call," he snarled, and slammed the door as he left.

Sharon just shook her head and sighed. If he wasn't made enough, he was going to be even more irritated when she had to pull him aside with Chief Johnson and explain the investigation she'd also been handed. If there wasn't enough tension with Andy already, this was going to make it much, much worse.

It was finally lunchtime the next day before Sharon found herself heading home. She'd been at work almost 15 hours straight, and she needed a change of clothes and a shower. She was exhausted, and after going rounds with Andy about the lawsuit, she had a massive headache too. She hated the lawsuit, and she knew it made the situation with him even worse. Of course, he would think she was out to get him; she expected that. She wondered if the rest of his team had picked up on just how tense things were between them. Of course, right now, it would be easy to explain-he had been stabbed and now this lawsuit, or potential one. What he couldn't see is that she was trying to do her job, clear him of all charges. With Andy, though, she'd learned he didn't trust her actions, and she had to admit, he had past reasons not to trust her. She'd been trying to change that, though, but his anger toward her, even after all this time, hadn't subsided at all. In fact, considering the current work situation, his anger was even worse, and quite frankly, trying to look at it from his perspective, she couldn't blame him. A quick stop at home to shower, change clothes, and even find something to eat would help. It had to help.

During Sharon's drive home, she glanced at her clock, noting it was just after noon, and she decided to give Ricky a call. She hadn't spoken to him in a couple weeks now, just a quick text here or there so she knew he was still alive. Ricky worked odd hours, and hopefully, she could catch up with him.

"Hi Sweetheart," she smiled, as she heard his voice on the other end of the phone.

"Mom, everything okay? It's the middle of a work day, and you're calling," he stated.

"Just worked all night, that's all. I am going home to change and eat before I go back to work. I had a few moments and wanted to see how you were doing?" Sharon asked.

"Oh, I'm fine. Big case?" he asked.

"Stabbing," she said. "It's turning out to be a bigger case than we thought. Enough about me; tell me how things are going with you."

"Not much to report. Work, hanging out with friends, you know," he added. "I've got a date this weekend, so that's something cool," he said.

"Good," Sharon smiled. "I hope she's a lovely lady. I won't pry; I've learned not to pry," she chuckled.

"Thanks, Mom," he chuckled too. "I work with her, well, she's in marketing, so I don't work with her, but she works in my office building. We'll see," he added. "Now, if you are calling to ask about Emily, she's fine. Mom, this mess between you two, you know she'll call you when she's ready. She's alive and fine, so don't worry."

Sharon sighed, "Thank you for telling me. Yes, I know things are still strained with her. I'm trying. Let her know that I'm asking about her, please?" she asked.

"Will do, Mom. Now, I need to eat my lunch before an afternoon meeting. I'll check in with you in a few days," he offered.

"Love you," Sharon said and hung up. Once she hung up with Ricky, she decided to see if Andy had gone home like Chief Johnson had told him. Sharon was glad the rest of the division had told Andy to go home, just as she had. She knew he wouldn't listen to her, but she hoped he'd listen to the rest of his own division, his friends, even if she wasn't one of them.

"Are you calling with another lawsuit I don't know about, Captain?" he scowled into the phone.

"I was calling to see if you followed your boss's orders and went home," she explained.

"Please stop calling me. I'm getting a few things at the pharmacy, and then I'm going home. I was told not to come in again until at least tomorrow afternoon, so you'll have free reign of the office until then. No worries about seeing me, and don't call me, please, unless it's work related," he sighed.

"I'm glad you are going to get some rest, Andy. Take care of yourself," she said and hung up.

Even though she'd had a nice chat with her son, she was ready to crawl into a hole and hide. She was dealing with a very angry Andy at work, and then in her own personal life, she had a very irritated daughter, living across the continent. She felt like no matter where she turned, she had people irritated with her, ready to fight. It was almost Christmas too, and all of this was giving her a headache and ruining any sense of occasion she might have. She had recently started to hate picking up the phone because it usually meant a fight with anyone on the other end of the phone. She couldn't do anything about Emily's anger at the moment; that would have to wait, but she could try and wrap up this lawsuit and stabbing business quickly so she could at least get away from Andy Flynn for awhile.


	3. Chapter 3

It took a couple of days for Sharon to wrap up her reports and an equal amount of time for Major Crimes to wrap up its investigation. As Sharon knew and just couldn't vocalize to him before the investigation ended, Andy was cleared of any charges, and even more importantly, she'd gotten the lawsuit dropped. She knew he was a good cop; she'd tried to tell him that over the years and even with this case, but he always thought, that even here at work, she was out to get him. Sharon hoped that one day, even if their personal situation was a total mess, that he could respect her at work and realize she was really on his side.

Sharon decided to try and mend some fences with Andy, if that was even possible. She knew it wouldn't fix everything, but with it being the Christmas season, she was determined to spread some holiday cheer so to speak. He might not accept her gesture, but she could at least try. That is how on Saturday morning, she found herself at the mall, scoping out a new leather jacket for him. She knew it was his favorite; he'd had it for years. She remembered it, and she also knew he would be mad once he realized it was ruined for good. He probably hadn't thought about it yet, as the case and the lawsuit mess had taken over the week and his thoughts, so she was determined to buy him a new one and drop it off. Luckily for her, she remembered quite a bit about the old coat, so replacing it wasn't as hard as it might have been had she not known Andy so well. By lunch, she was armed with a new leather coat. She'd even taken the liberty to have it gift-wrapped, again, trying to get into the Christmas spirit.

She was supposed to be meeting her parents and kids in Park City to go skiing, something she loved, but she was going to miss having Christmas at home. Ricky had said Emily was supposed to come; she hoped Emily would come. They had a lot to discuss, and she knew that Emily was probably only coming because Sharon's parents would be there. Her dad wasn't in the best of health, which everyone knew, and she had at least given a silent thank you that whatever anger Emily still had toward Sharon, Emily wasn't apparently holding the grudge against her own grandparents. It might be an awkward few days, even with some shouting our yelling, but Sharon was determined to work through things with Emily; this was her daughter, and she wasn't going to lose her over everything that had happened.

Armed with the wrapped coat, Sharon debated whether she should take Andy some soup, some food too and decided against it. He was so angry, completely irate with her, and she'd be lucky if he even accepted the coat. No, this wasn't the time for food, even though it went against her nature not to help someone when they were injured. Right now, she had bigger problems with Andy, and she'd call the day a win if he one-opened the door, two-didn't scream at her on the doorstep, and three-accepted the coat without cutting it up into tiny pieces. It was a tall order, but she wasn't one to walk away from a challenge.

20 minutes later, the door flung open, causing her to jump. She wasn't sure why that took her by surprise. She knew that if he even answered the door, he'd most likely be mad she'd come by. Somehow, though, almost anytime Sharon found herself near Andy, he took her by surprise, causing her to jump each time. Maybe she was just on guard around him right now, knowing just how angry he was with her.

"Do I need to get a court order against you for stalking?" he barked at her, as he stood in his doorway, arms crossed. He looked like he had been sleeping. He was in sweats and an old Dodger shirt; his hair was rumpled, and she could hear the television in the background. More than likely, he'd fallen asleep in his chair. He looked terrible; obviously, going to work while recovering from a stab would wasn't his brightest idea, but she knew he was as stubborn as she was.

She tried not to flinch with the door flying open and quickly grounded herself. "Here," she rather abruptly flung the gift toward him. "Call this a bit of a peace offering," she nodded for him to take the gift. "I know how much you loved your leather coat, and I'm sorry it got ruined. I hope you know I never doubted that you did the right thing."

The silence that greeted her was almost haunting. He stood there, silent and motionless; she'd completely taken him by surprise, off guard. She could tell he didn't know what to do.

"You bought me a new leather coat?" he asked, eyeing the gift that she was still holding. "Why? Do you think that fixes everything?"

Sharon pursed her lips, "No," she shook her head. "I don't think it fixes anything at all in our personal lives, but I hope that it will be a start to mending fences in our professional lives. Andy, we do have to work together, more often lately, as Pope is determined to keep me poking around Major Crimes." Sharon held up the gift again for him to take, "Take it, please. I know you liked that coat, and this one is almost identical. Look, you can pretend it's not even from me," Sharon babbled on, trying to get him to take the box.

He eyed her and while still glaring at her, he took the box. She didn't look away from his gaze. Yes, the gaze was hurtful and full of anger, but at least he was looking at her.

"I won't be a problem at work. I can and have always respected directives from superior officers. I don't always like those directives, but I've respected them. Let's just try to stay clear of each other, as much as we possibly can," he noted.

"I've tried to stay out of your way, but you know as well as I do that sometimes we are expected to work together, and I can't change that. I don't think you want me explaining that our personal lives prohibit us from even being civil to each other," she stated.

The two were silent, and Sharon clutched her keys, turning to leave.

"My sister gave me my old coat. That's part of the reason I liked it so much, sentimental," he said rather sharply, indicating he wouldn't be enjoying the new coat for the same reasons. Sharon shifted slightly, now facing him again, yet she didn't look up.

"I know," she said quietly, nodding, as she looked at the ground. "I remember you telling me that at one point. Well, pretend it's from her if you want. I don't know when you'll see her next, but have her give you the coat if that helps."

"Saw her at Thanksgiving," he said quickly, staring blindly at the box, the first words to her he'd said that hadn't been laced with anger.

Sharon, still looking toward the ground, nodded, and she stumbled with her words, but eventually said, "She came here? Your sister flew out here for Thanksgiving?"

"No," he said sharply once again, snapping out of his blank stare. "I went there, and if you haven't heard about that, then we don't need to be discussing my personal life."

Sharon's eyes went wide at Andy's continued sharp tone, "So, you saw her then?"

"Yeah, I saw her. That shouldn't be a surprise," he snapped again. Sharon just nodded, pursing her lips.

"Okay, I won't ask," she held up a hand.

"That's right; you won't ask. If she wanted you to know I saw her, she would have told you. From what I've heard, she hasn't told you much lately. Is she speaking to you at all yet?" he asked. "What irritated me the other day was you asking if I'd called all my family, like you expected that I wouldn't call everyone. Really? I'm not some monster," he shook his head.

Sharon sighed, as she looked away, "I didn't ask you that insinuating you were a horrible person, Andy. I merely asked if you had contacted your family because I wanted to know."

"You were only trying to cover yourself. Don't think I didn't notice your choice of words-'whole family'-you can't even say it, can you? After all these years, you can't say it. Yes, I contacted my whole family, all my kids. Contrary to what you'd like me to believe, that did include calling Emily. So, yes, I called all three of my kids, Captain. You were just covering your bases because you know she's not talking to you, yet you wanted to know if she knew what had happened. She knows, and she was worried. In fact, she was the one calling when I was in such a rush to get out of your office. Bet you would have liked to have had a little family chat there in your office. Maybe I should have put her on speaker phone. She's called me everyday since, did you know that? She's called me. We're getting along just fine, unlike the two of you."

Sharon pursed her lips and nodded. She cleared her throat, knowing that he'd just provided more information about Emily than she had heard in months, "So, did you spend Thanksgiving with her? How is she doing?"

"Yes, I spent Thanksgiving with her! Why do you think I went to New York? Of course, my sister is there too, but I went to spend time with Emily. She enjoyed my family," he stated.

Sharon's eyes went wide, "She met your family, your sister?"

He rolled his eyes, "Of course, she did! That's what families do, well most families. My sister had Thanksgiving at her place, all the extended relatives. It was nice, first time I'd seen some of my cousins and all in years. Ironic in all these years, Emily is the first one I've taken there. Of course, Emily met my sister. She is Emily's aunt, even if you'd rather pretend she'd not. I got to see her show, three times in fact. I went every night I was there, and she even got me in to watch rehearsals. I know nothing about ballet, but I know she's good; she was amazing, and I'm glad I got to go. We spent some good time together, about time, that's for sure," he snarled.

"Well, that's great, Andy," Sharon said in a flat tone. "Go ahead," she gestured toward his coat, "consider the coat a Christmas gift from Emily. Maybe then you'll want to wear it. I'll get going. Thank you for that information; I hadn't heard any of that. Ricky has been tight-lipped with me about Emily, and he was even here for Thanksgiving. I'm glad to know Emily wasn't alone; I was worried about her through the holidays, and I'm glad you went there. Get some rest; you still don't look well, and I don't say that with any negative meaning. I really mean you don't look well yet."

"Well, that shouldn't be a surprise. I haven't slept well in, well, I don't know how long," he complained.

Sharon nodded, putting her hands in her sweater pocket, "I'll get out of your hair. Get some rest," she nodded, as she turned to leave. Andy closed the door before she even got into her car. At least he'd kept the coat, even if he might feel like burning it now, knowing she'd brought it to him. It had gone as well as could be expected, maybe even a bit better if she had to analyze the whole encounter. He'd taken the coat, which was her ultimate goal. She'd also found out several things regarding Emily. Now, that was a huge mess still too, and sadly, the reason Andy was so mad at her was the same reason Emily was so mad at her. Neither were going to stop being angry anytime soon, but at least they weren't angry at each other.

As Sharon drove back toward her condo, she thought back over everything, thinking about how differently things could have been. If only, but they weren't. Andy was still seething mad with Sharon, and Emily was too, her daughter, their daughter, if she dared say that out loud. She hadn't said that out loud, not in a very long time, and it wasn't something she wanted to address. Problem was she didn't have a choice, not anymore; it had been addressed, and now, she wasn't sure she'd ever get her daughter back.


	4. Chapter 4

Sharon spent the next two weeks trying to stay out of Andy's way, but that was proving to be harder and harder. Her division, specifically Sharon herself, was continually tagged to be in Major Crimes. Even with all her protest to Chief Pope, she still lost and thus, she found herself in that division more and more. Still, she tried to stick to dealing with Brenda; that was mainly why she had been tasked there. Then, they had the case at Christmas, the case that was going to ruin her holiday plans. She still hadn't spoken to Emily, but she was at least glad and relieved to hear that Emily was talking to Ricky and even Andy. If Emily wasn't talking to her, she at least, wasn't shutting out the others in her life. As far as she knew, Emily was en route to Park City; she'd feel better knowing that Emily had actually gotten on the plane and landed. Ricky promised to let her know when Emily had arrived; he was picking her up at the airport. Sharon's flight was scheduled for the evening, but, she was currently on the phone with the airline trying to change that flight. It wasn't going well. They had tried charging her more than the cost of the original ticket to change hers, and then they'd told her that most any flight she could get on was sold out. Just her luck. Her daughter was finally going to be close enough for her to hash things out, and Sharon was stuck at work.

Of course, things were compounded that the reason she was stuck at work was a case with none other than Major Crimes. That made it even more of a messy situation. Now, having missed her flight and stuck at work, she found herself making a cup of tea in the break room. If she was going to be here for the foreseeable future, she was going to settle herself down with a cup of tea.

Sharon was absentmindedly stirring her tea and didn't pay attention when the door to the break room opened.

"I'll come back," she heard a grumble and looked up, locking eyes with Andy.

Sharon put her spoon down, gripped the counter, and sighed, "No need, Andy. I'm finished here."

"Oh, right, off on Christmas trip, as you've told the office over and over. Don't let me stop you," he grumbled.

In a soft voice, she said, "I'm stuck here now, in another 72-hour reporting cycle with your case, if you hadn't heard. Looks like my plans are at least delayed a day, maybe longer. I've been hashing it out with the airlines."

Sharon started to move toward the door to get out of Andy's way, and he moved around the room opposite her. He didn't say anything more until she got to the door, "Emily landed about 10 minutes ago," he said. "Figured you want to know."

Sharon turned to him, but his back was to her now as he moved toward the coffee machine. She knew he wouldn't turn back around, "Thank you," she said simply and left the room. While just a tidbit, that information was extremely helpful and at least told her she didn't have to worry about whether Emily would show up for Christmas. Now, it was looking more and more like Sharon might be the one who wasn't going to make the Christmas trip.

Sharon didn't make her flight; she didn't make her rescheduled flight either. Her final attempt at a flight ended with a closed airport, due to snow, and had currently landed Sharon with Mrs. Johnson making sweet potato casserole. It was the last place she wanted to be, not that Mrs. Johnson wasn't nice, but she didn't want to be celebrating Christmas with the division. That was where she found herself, though, and while she had been giving Andy space, she found herself sitting next to him. She wasn't popular with anyone in the division, but somehow, she felt at least okay stuck between Andy and Provenza. Maybe she knew she wouldn't have to carry on much conversation, silly as that sounded, but right now she wasn't really in the Christmas spirit.

"Excuse me, I have to take this call," she said, standing once the group had finished most of the food. People were still getting seconds and thirds, but the main part of the meal was over. "It's my son, otherwise, I would ignore it," she stated to Andy and Provenza, not that she expected either was listening to her. She wondered what Provenza, as Andy's best friend knew? It was probably the whole story, seeing as he'd willingly plopped down next to Sharon at the table after he saw she sat with Andy.

"Sorry to hear your plans were ruined, Captain," Provenza said, which was the first kind thing he'd said to her in a very long time. Normally, he either didn't speak or was snarky with her. She nodded at him in thanks, as Andy didn't even bother to look up as she stood.

"Ricky," she said, moving quickly through the room to get some privacy. "My flight was cancelled."

"Yeah, Mom, I know," he sighed. "We are watching the news here, and they are saying the airport is closed, and that when it reopens, they expect things to be a mess. I'm guessing you won't be able to make it?" he asked.

Sharon sighed, as she leaned against the wall, "It's looking like that, yes," she said. "Honey, I'm so sorry," she said with tears in her eyes and her voice wavering. "Now," she schooled herself, "Emily got there okay?" she asked.

"She did," he said. "She said she doesn't want to talk to you, though. I'm sorry, Mom."

Sharon nodded, not that he could see her, "It's okay," she said with a raspy voice. "I'm glad she's there with you, Grandma, and Grandpa. You four have a good Christmas. I promise to call you tomorrow morning to see you on Christmas morning. I'll video chat from home. Right now, I'm still at work."

"Sounds good, Mom. Merry Christmas. We all miss you," he said.

Sharon sighed at that; she seriously doubted Emily missed her right now, "Merry Christmas, Sweetheart. Please send my love to everyone."

Sharon returned to the party, which she was finding to be depressing, and she saw that dessert was now being served. At least she was planning to enjoy her dessert. She felt like she'd stressed enough today to work off any extra calories if that was really possible.

"Ahh, Captain," Provenza said once she sat down again, "I had just stated that if you didn't return in five minutes, I was going to eat your dessert."

Sharon chuckled; this was the best she'd gotten along with Provenza. "Good try, Lieutenant, but I am looking forward to dessert. At least that isn't going to be taken away from me today."

"I'll just take Buzz's dessert or something," he informed her. "Speak to your kids? I know you had plans with them for Christmas as you'd said."

"My son," she replied. "I spoke with my son."

Dessert continued, and she felt a bit of tension diminish when Andy stood to take a call. She relaxed as he left the room and sat back as she enjoyed her dessert. She was in conversation with the other end of the table, when she noticed a phone was put down rather discretely next to her left hand. She looked to see whose it was, and she saw Andy sitting back down, "She's on the phone, and I told her she needed to wish her mother a Merry Christmas at least," he explained, picking up his fork and getting back to his own dessert.

Sharon stared at him for a moment, but he didn't look at her; he wouldn't, and she knew that. She picked up his phone and stood to move away from the table again, this time, moving even faster than before.

"Merry Christmas, Emily," Sharon said into the phone as soon as she had cleared the office. Her heart was beating fast, and she wasn't even sure Emily was still on the phone.

"Merry Christmas, Mom," Emily said, rather flatly, but to Sharon, it was music to her ears, the first time she'd heard her daughter's voice in months.

"How was your flight?" Sharon tried, not knowing exactly where to start with Emily. It was harder than she wasn't face to face.

"Fine," she huffed.

Sharon nodded; Emily certainly wasn't a willing participant in the conversation.

"How are Grandma and Grandpa doing? Grandpa has been sick all week. I'm worried about him, and I'm so mad I can't get there to check on him," she asked. Hopefully, she'd get a little more information with this line of questioning.

"He's coughing, but he looks better than he did two days ago, according to Ricky. He'll be okay after he gets a couple days of rest," she said.

"Good," Sharon let out her breath. "Emily, I love you, and I miss you," Sharon said, feeling herself tearing up.

"Look, Mom. I'm not going to do this now, not on Christmas over the phone. Dad told me to wish you a Merry Christmas, and I did. Hope your Christmas improves. Bye," she said, and she hung up the phone. Sharon stared at it, as if expecting her to appear on the screen. She didn't.

Sharon turned, phone in hand, to walk back to the party. She really needed to get out of here now. Maybe she'd go home and eat the rest of the tub of ice cream she had in her freezer. She knew she didn't have a lot of other food in the house; she had planned to be gone for the holidays, and now, here she was. She'd have to get groceries, but Christmas wasn't the day to do that. She'd get through with whatever she had and then do a depressing grocery shop after Christmas.

"Did she talk to you?" he asked, startling her again. She jumped; he always managed to scare her. She wasn't sure when he'd followed her into the hall, or even how much he'd heard, but he'd startled her that he was there at all.

"Umm, yes," she nodded, handing him the phone. "Thank you. She didn't say much, but it's a start," she shrugged. I'm going to get my things and go home," she explained. "Merry Christmas, Andy."

Sharon was almost to the office when she heard Andy reply, "Merry Christmas." It was a bit gruff, but he'd at least said it. He'd hadn't yelled at her this time, and he'd asked Emily to speak to her. She'd consider that a Christmas gift, her only one, and she was okay with that. Her daughter had spoken to her, albeit involuntarily, and Andy hadn't screamed at her. Progress.


	5. Chapter 5

It was now the day after Christmas, and with the airports still a mess from all the snow, Sharon gave up on the idea she'd get to Park City this year. Even if by some miracle, she would make her flight late tonight (which she'd called the airline, and the customer service agent had actually laughed when Sharon asked about seats available), she'd have the same trouble on the other end trying to get back to LA in two days; it wasn't going to happen. She'd spent a lot of time talking to her kids and parents on her computer. At least they were all safe and well, even her dad, who was on the mend. It wasn't the same, but she really couldn't ask for more. Even Emily had sat in the background while she spoke to the rest of the family. Now, the day after Christmas, with a couple days off since they'd had to work through Christmas (and they weren't counting her vacation days against her since her vacation had been cancelled), she was desperate to grocery shop. Her kitchen was bone dry. She'd even had to get some breakfast at a coffee shop because she was even out of coffee. She had a hectic life, and it had left her pantry empty. So, she set out, determined to have nice, leisurely morning. It wasn't quite the new year where often people try to start fresh, but her kitchen was starting the new year a bit early; her groceries were getting a fresh start. While the department stores were packed with Christmas shoppers returning unwanted gifts, she found the grocery store empty, a nice, unexpected treat. What she didn't expect was to run into none other than Andy.

"What are you doing at my grocery store? You live 40 minutes from here," she said to him, very surprised to have almost literally run her cart into him as she rounded a corner.

"Sharon," he said, completely surprised. She could cross possibly stalking her off the list; he was just as surprised to see her. "I'm not following you; I promise," he raised his hands, face expressionless. "Nicole's new boyfriend lives near here, and he invited her, and me as well, over for lunch today. His wife passed away about two years ago, and he's got two toddlers at home, so," he shrugged, "I think it's serious for Nicole to want me to come and meet him. Anyway, I told them I'd bring some stuff, and well, this is just about a mile from his house. Nicole is already there."

"Oh," she dropped her defensive stance. "Well, I hope your lunch goes well," she said, looking toward her cart. "Obviously, I didn't plan to be in town, so my kitchen was empty. Look, can we maybe go over and get a cup of coffee? There's a bistro area here in the grocery store. Can I talk to you? Please, Andy?" she asked.

He sighed, looked at his watch, and nodded, "Fine," he mumbled. "I've got some time, not a lot."

"Fine," she nodded, and he followed her as the two pushed their carts to the coffee stand. Once they had both ordered their coffee, they sat, an awkward silence following.

"For what it's worth, I have told Emily that you are still her mother. She can be angry, but she can't shut you out. I've told her that," he said.

Sharon nodded, looking down at her coffee, "Thank you. I appreciate that."

"I am not encouraging her silent treatment, just so you know. I know what it's like to be shut out of your kids' lives. Sandra did it with me, and even though I was a drunk and she had reason, I still didn't like it. I know this is completely different, but I do know the feeling, the hopeless feeling of just wanting to talk to your kid."

She nodded again and cleared her throat, "I appreciate you letting me talk to her on your phone at work," she acknowledged. "She won't answer when I call."

He nodded too, "She's mad. You lied to her for over 25 years, Sharon. I'm mad too. You lied to both of us. I don't have the luxury of living 3,000 miles away from you right now. Not only do I have to see you every day, I have to work with you too. This past year has been just awful. Think of what a difference, what could have been," he stumbled over his words, trying to adequately express himself. He just shook his head.

Sharon sighed, as she looked up, not wanting to start crying. She knew it had been an awful year; she'd lived it too, caused most of the mess and heartache. "Look, 25 years ago, I made a decision, one I thought was best at the time. I was married, and you were divorced and drinking. Yes, I messed up; we messed up by even getting involved. Finding Jack cheating on me was no reason to basically run and do the same back to him. Deep down, I still loved him, even after he'd done that to me. I should have walked away from him for good that first time he cheated on me. I should have known. What we did, you and I, that was a knee-jerk reaction; you and I both know it. In the long run, I trusted the wrong person. I had terrible judgement, and I thought going back to Jack, my husband, was the right answer. It wasn't the right answer because while I changed my behavior, he didn't. You changed; Jack didn't. Before Jack and I ever moved forward from that, we put everything on the table. Obviously, I knew what he'd done because I walked in on it. I told him I'd gone to someone else to get back at him. He knew that, but back then, he didn't know who. He didn't want to know, and I didn't want to tell him."

"Sharon," Andy interrupted her, "it wasn't just about you and Jack. It was about Emily and everything about her. You didn't tell me you weren't divorced; I thought you were divorced too. You know that. I wouldn't have gotten involved with you if I'd have known. I'm not that kind of guy; I don't mess around with married women, but you manipulated that too."

She sighed and nodded, "I know," she said softly. "I know. In the moment," she sighed again, "I was so angry with Jack and what he'd done. I just wanted to feel numb, and I liked you. Regarding Emily, yes, I thought it was best. I was looking out for her, even before she was born, like a mother does. You were drinking heavily and in no shape to be her father. Jack and I had hashed out our mistakes, and while I knew there was no possible way he was hers, he just said that if there was a chance he was hers, that was enough. He wouldn't let me answer that; he held onto there being a chance, although deep down, he knew too. I kept thinking you would confront me, put everything together when you would run into me at work, but you never said anything."

"I wondered at the time, but then when she was born, it didn't seem like it added up," he said.

"She was almost two weeks late, Andy," Sharon sighed. I knew there was no possibility she was Jack's. I had found out I was pregnant with her the week Jack and I finally talked. He didn't want to know the details, but he also knew he hadn't been around for over a month. You didn't know that, though."

"No," he grumbled. "I saw you, Jack, and I felt like I'd come between your marriage; I'd wrecked something. I hated myself when I found out you were married, that I'd come in between someone's marriage," he sighed.

"I'm sorry for that," she sighed. "I'm sorry for a lot. I never dreamed Jack would up and leave for good when Ricky was a month old. Jack just couldn't handle things, and there I was left to clean up my mistakes, all of them. I know I deserved my lot in life, and I did the best to move forward. By then, you were still drinking. When you finally started with AA, it was just not in the cards. You and I weren't running into each other at work, and the little I knew, you had your own messes to clean up with Sandra and the kids. It just seemed easier to live the lie I'd started."

"What I can't understand, Sharon, is how you were planning to live with yourself not ever telling me. You weren't going to tell me, tell Emily. You were going to live with this secret for good, weren't you?" he asked.

Sharon sighed again, as she shook her head, "I don't know the answer to that."

"We had started dating again! You were divorced this time. I'd actually forgiven you for all that, and we were good, so I thought. I tried to forget you for 25 years, but I couldn't. I tried. I tried to tell myself that the month we got to know each other 25 years ago was it, some fantasy, that I couldn't possibly love you, but I did. I fought it, yet, 25 years later, we started dating again. I wanted to walk away, wanted to forget, but instead, I think my love for you grew over 25 years," he said, a bit angrily.

Her eyes shot up, "You were in love with me? We'd only been dating again for a few months."

"Of course, I was! 25 years, Sharon, and it was always you, until I found out you'd done the worst thing. You lied about our daughter. My goodness! Who does that? You're the smartest woman I know, a highly decorated police captain who strives for rules and order, yet your own life is the opposite," he said, now trying to lower his voice. The place wasn't busy, but they didn't need to air their very personal information to everyone.

"Andy, I didn't mean to hurt you or Emily. I know I've done that, even worse. I've lost your trust and the trust of my, our daughter. I've ruined my family. You are right, though. I hadn't decided if I would ever tell you. It was tearing me apart. I had gotten to the conclusion that I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know how. I knew I could lose you and Emily. I strive for rules and order at work BECAUSE I've lived with 25 years of regret and mess. I broke the rules of my marriage, and I've paid for it every single day. I didn't know if I could tell you, how I could tell you, but know that I was struggling with that."

"Well, that happened anyway. Leave it to good-old Jack," he scowled. He glanced to his watch, "I have to go. Nicole is expecting me, and I'm not really interested in going back down memory lane right now."

She looked up, "Thank you for sitting down with me. I know I messed up and will pay for it the rest of my life. I'm glad you and Emily have been talking and seeing each other."

"She's wonderful, Sharon. I just wish I'd had a chance to see that as she grew up. She grew up right here in the same city; I saw her sometimes in the halls at work, and I never knew. I never knew she was my kid. I missed everything, and when I see her dance, I realize I missed those first recitals, the ones where the kids just stand on the stage and wave to their parents. I missed helping with homework, fighting with Ricky, and she missed two other siblings. Sharon, it wasn't fair. I've got to go; I need to meet Nicole's boyfriend."

Sharon nodded and sat, as Andy maneuvered his way back to his cart. She'd give him a few minutes to get out of the store before she would leave too. He gave her much to think about, not that she hadn't been thinking about all this every moment of the past year, really a lot of it the past 25 years. She needed to get home; she needed to buy her groceries and get home. Suddenly, she just wanted to be home where she could reflect on everything again. So many memories were resurfacing after finally sitting down with Andy and talking, not screaming, but talking. That had been long in coming, and now, he'd left her with 25 years of memories to think back upon today.


	6. Chapter 6

Sharon decided to video chat with her family again. They were still in Park City, and the vacation would be ending tomorrow for the kids. Her parents were staying on for another couple weeks; they had a nice block of time saved up at the timeshare. She wanted to talk to all of them before they parted ways.

Surprisingly, Emily answered the video chat. Sharon's eyes got wide seeing that.

"Grandma can't hear the video chat alert very well," Emily stated before Sharon could even greet her, making a point that Emily wasn't there for a social chat. "Grandma is right here," Emily said and started to move back away from the screen. Sharon's mom walked into view, and for a few seconds, both women were in view on the screen for Sharon to see.

"Emily, wait," Sharon said before Emily stepped out of view. She was standing next to Sharon's mom, who of course, knew the whole story. Sharon knew her parents were disappointed in her, the choices she had made, but they'd not shut her out like Emily had. Sharon had talked in great detail with her mom specifically, explaining that she knew she'd made a mess of her life and felt like she was paying for it each day. Her mom had expressed her disappointment, but had also said she'd always love Sharon and wouldn't turn her back on her.

"Emily, I want you to know I love you. I hope you have had a good visit with Ricky, Grandma, and Grandpa. Maybe my not being able to come was a blessing for you. I know you need to be around your family; it's good for you, so don't shut them out. I also know you have been talking to your father quite a bit, and I'm glad about that too. While he and I have our own issues, we both want the best for you and both love you. I ran into him at the grocery store this morning, as if it's not enough that I see him at work each day. Emily, I know neither of you can understand, but I hope that you and I can work on our relationship, that one day we can work to resolve this. I know it's changed your life, and I cannot give you nor Andy that time back, but I hope we can all heal." Sharon took a deep breath after that. She wasn't planning a long, elaborate speech; it had just slipped out, but she was glad she'd said it. Emily needed to hear it.

"Mom, I want that too, but I just can't even-" she stopped talking and teared up. Sharon's mom gave her arm a squeeze, and Emily just nodded to her and walked out of the camera's view.

"Hi, Sharon," her mother greeted her once Emily had moved out of the room. "She'll be okay," she told Sharon, indicating Emily. "She's talked to us a lot this week."

"She has?" Sharon said. "I'm glad to hear that. I'm glad she's talking, even if it's to everyone but me."

"Give her time," her mother said. "I know it's been a shock, but honestly, if she's embraced Andy like she has, she'll eventually be ready to talk to you. Amazingly, it's the first time I'm glad Jack was such a deadbeat. Emily almost doesn't know what to do with a father who cares. Ricky told her he might just have to come and visit her next time Andy does too so he can get in on the 'dad time' as he said when he joked with her."

Sharon nodded and let out a soft chuckle, "Leave it to Ricky to try and ease the tension. Mom, 25 years ago, I never imagined this blowing up like this. I never really thought about the consequences I guess," she sighed.

"I know you didn't, Sharon. That's a tough life lesson for you, Emily, even Andy, whom I haven't met, but heard a lot about these last couple years," her mom said.

"I know, Mom," Sharon sighed.

"So, the grocery store? In all of LA-didn't you say he lived in a totally different part of LA?" her mom inquired.

Sharon huffed, "I know. It's not bad enough I see him at work almost every day, and then the last three days, including Christmas, I'm working right with his division on this case. It's almost too much, but I'm glad I got a few minutes to talk to him. It was stuff he needed to hear, and yes, you are correct; he doesn't live near me, but apparently, Nicole's boyfriend does. He was on his way to meet him."

"Ahh, I've heard about Nicole some too. She and Emily have been talking quite a bit, some this week I can tell too," her mom said.

"I'm glad they are talking, Mom. Honestly, I didn't think through all this at the time. I hate that I deprived her of getting to know her sister and another brother, of course, not to mention Andy," Sharon sighed.

"I know, Dear. Well, it's not too late; they are all talking, and yes, eventually, you and Emily will work through things. Now, what are you doing the rest of the day?" she asked.

Sharon gave her a small smile, "Well, I've completely cleaned out my cabinets and refrigerator. I'm going to do some cooking for this next week so I have things ready to eat. I think then I might just watch a movie or two."

"You go, enjoy. We're taking good care of your kids. You father and Ricky are in town doing some grocery shopping too. Ricky wanted to make sure we were stocked before he and Emily leave. He's a good boy, Sharon. They are great kids, both of them, and even with all the mistakes, you did a good job with them. You get some rest while you aren't working," she told Sharon.

"Thanks, Mom," Sharon said nodding.

Sharon's day off was short-lived. Even though she was supposed to be off, she got called in when some of her division came down with the flu. She ended up working two cases, back to back, and before she knew it, it was already January. Somehow, she'd missed the new year even arriving. After finishing a couple longs weeks at work, she was very glad to get home and get to bed early. A middle of the night phone call roused her from her sleep.

"Mom?" Ricky said, causing Sharon to sit up quickly.

"What's wrong?" she asked, noting his voice.

"I'm fine. Emily broke her arm. I didn't think she'd call you," he said. Sharon turned on her bedside lamp and fished around for her glasses.

"No, she didn't. What happened?" she asked, now more awake.

Ricky started to explain, "She just called me. She's at the hospital, ER right now, and they have to admit her because she broke her arm in some weird spot. It needs surgery. She's going to be okay, but she just has this to deal with. They told her dancing should be fine once she deals with this. Thank goodness it was her arm. I guess she was on her way home from a rehearsal and slipped and feel on some ice. It is New York, after all in the winter," Ricky said.

Sharon sighed, "Um, okay," she nodded. "I'm glad you told me. I can catch a flight this morning, hopefully. I hate for her to be there at the hospital, even for something like this." Sharon looked at her watch, and she started to mentally go through everything. "Yes, I'll book a flight and go see her for a couple of days. I just finished a string of cases, so I'm more than due a few days off. Thank you for telling me, Ricky," she said.

"Sure, Mom. Umm, I won't tell her you are coming," he said.

"That's probably for the best. I'll book my flight and a hotel. Her place is so small, I don't know how she alone manages to stay there," Sharon said. "I'll go right to the hospital when I land if you can send me the hospital information?" she asked.

Ricky chuckled, "Yeah, sure. I have it. I'll text it to you. As far as her apartment, I don't know how she lives there either. I get it; New York has smaller places, but still. I told her she wouldn't even be able to have a cat, no room."

"She loves it, though," Sharon said. "I'll send you my travel information when I have it."

"Be safe, Mom. Love you," Ricky told her.

Three hours later, Sharon found herself on the flight. She'd been busy and hadn't gotten much sleep. She was looking forward to the flight simply for some time to rest. The plane was still boarding, but she was ready to sleep. She was going through her mental checklist to make sure she'd taken care of everything. She'd packed, locked up the condo, alerted work, and oh-Andy. She probably should let him know too. She didn't think Ricky would have called Andy. As much as it pained her, she knew it was the right thing to do. Sighing, she pulled her phone out of her bag; she needed to turn it off anyways, so she could at least call Andy before she did that. Hopefully, even thought it was just barely 5:00 AM, he'd answer.

No answer. Voicemail. Just lovely, but maybe it was. She decided she would leave him a message so he couldn't say she was keeping things from him.

"Sorry to bother you, Andy. Emily broke her arm, badly enough, apparently, that it is going to require surgery. She slipped and fell on the ice on her way home from rehearsal. I don't have all the details; Ricky called me in the middle of the night because she had called him. Anyway, I'm catching a flight this morning to go see her for a couple days. I've had a crazy couple of weeks at work, so I am more than due a few days off. I can update you later if you want. Bye," she said and hung up. The flight attendant made the announcement to turn off phones, so she quickly did that, settling in for her long flight across the U.S. Hopefully, even with Emily's broken arm, this trip would be a good one.


	7. Chapter 7

The wheels touched down, and that jolted Sharon from her sleep. She'd slept much harder and longer than she'd anticipated; she'd slept the entire flight, missing both the takeoff and the landing. She'd also developed a serious pain in her neck from sleeping oddly against the window, and she couldn't wait to get off the plane and stretch a bit, hoping to work the pain out. She looked out her window-New York, snow, winter. Oh, it had been a long time since she'd been to New York in winter. Emily's injury reminded herself that she was no spring chicken; she needed to watch walking on ice herself. She'd certainly be the laughingstock of the LAPD if she came back from helping her injured daughter with her own broken bone. She watched as the plane taxied toward the gates; she knew it would be a few minutes before they even pulled into a gate, so she just lay her head back and relaxed. Luckily, her seat companion seemed to keep to himself too; the guy had a book he seemed to be enjoying and not up for idle chit chat.

Now that Sharon was here, she needed to form her game plan. Once she got off the plane, of course, she wanted to freshen up in the restroom, and then she would make her way out of the airport in search of a taxi. She hadn't checked a bag; it was getting too expensive for such a quick trip. Instead, she'd thrown a few things in her bag, at least remembering her heavy coat and a couple of sweaters. She'd booked her return for four days from now, Sunday. She'd love to stay longer, but she also had hastily left work, even if it was for a good reason and even if she was due the time off. Work wouldn't complete itself, and depending on the extent of Emily's injury, she could always make a return trip. She was also hesitant to stay any longer because things were already tense enough with Emily. This trip could go either way; she and Emily could take a few steps forward toward mending their relationship, or things could potentially get worse. Sharon really didn't know what would happen, but of course, was hoping things would improve. It would never be the same, but she missed her sweet Emily; she missed her daughter.

It took another 30 minutes before Sharon got off the plane. Thankfully, she wasn't making a connection, like many of the people on the plane, but because of her last-minute booking, she'd scored a seat at the back of the plane. As she thought about it, she was grateful she hadn't ended up with a middle seat; she'd at least had a window where she had gotten some good sleep. After she was off the plane, she freshened up in the bathroom and then made her way to the airport exit. She finally powered up her phone, but put it away for now, knowing that getting a taxi in New York was a feat of its own.

The cold, New York air, hit her hard; she wasn't prepared for the cold. Spending most of her life now in California, she had become the stereotypical California girl not used to snow and winter. She clutched her coat closer to her body, trying to eliminate any air pockets cold air could sneak in. That's when she saw him. Sharon sighed and rolled her eyes. Of the millions and millions of people in New York, he had to be standing 20 feet away from her. Deciding to get this over, she walked toward him.

"I'm guessing you are here for the same reason I am," she said as she approached him. He had his back to her, so he had not seen her walk down the sidewalk toward him. He appeared to be busy with his phone.

He spun around, "Sharon?" he said as if it was a question. "I didn't think you would get my message," he mumbled.

She tilted her head and raised her eyebrows, "Message? I left you a message. Ricky called me," she explained.

"I was talking to Emily when she fell," he explained. "I left you a message. I assume you were sleeping," he said.

She closed her eyes and rubbed her temple; she could feel a headache coming on quickly. "I didn't get your message, or at least, I didn't listen to one from you. I just turned on my phone, though, but I was asleep when Ricky called. Maybe I didn't hear if you sent a text message."

"No, I called. Check your voicemail. I'm now just pulling up mine from the flight. I see your voicemail now. Thanks for at least calling me; I get it that you didn't know I already knew," he grumbled.

Sharon pulled her phone out, and as she pulled up her information, she frowned, seeing that yes, Andy had left her a voicemail, apparently in the middle of the night, and she'd slept through it. "Apparently, I slept through your call. I'm sorry; work has left me totally exhausted. I normally don't miss middle of the night calls."

"Well, lucky us," he complained, "both here in New York."

"Hmm," Sharon hummed, turning to him, "wait, were you just on the flight from LA?"

He turned to her, realizing the same, "Yeah," he said, "were you?"

"Of course," she sighed. "No, Andy, I just like to hang out in strange airports, hoping to stalk you," she snipped at him. "Why didn't I see you on the plane? I sat at the back, and I had to walk past every row. I also didn't see you at the gate in LA."

"Oh," he smirked, "well, I was running late trying to get here. It took me longer, partly because I live further away. Anyway, I barely made it to the gate; the rest of the flight had boarded already. I was at the end of the line of people to board, so I had to wait awhile to get on the plane. I started talking to the flight attendant by the door, and anyway, it came up I was a detective, and she offered me a free seat in first class," he grinned. "She said I was handsome and charming," he shrugged. "I wasn't going to argue a first-class seat on a cross-country flight. Where was your seat?"

"The last row," she said, crossing her arms, visibly irritated Andy had charmed his way into first class. She knew that charm too well, and even if she'd become immune to his charm, she was well aware of how well it did work.

Andy chuckled, "Last row," he shook his head. "Hope it was enjoyable."

Sharon scowled at him, "Look, I'm going to get a taxi and head to the hospital. Can we at least be civil while here? I don't want to get thrown out of the hospital because we get into a screaming match," Sharon explained.

Andy nodded, "Yeah, I am just worried about her. Maybe we can work out a schedule, like you take morning and I take afternoon or vice versa?" he suggested.

Sharon nodded, "Let's get there and check on her, and then we can make a plan. I'll even share a cab, Andy," she offered.

"I'm not taking a cab," he stated firmly. Sharon raised an eyebrow at him, wondering why he had snapped and gotten so hostile. Before she could ask, he continued. "My sister, Angela, is picking me up."

"Ahh, right," Sharon said, nodding, and yes, she remembered Andy had a sister here. Sharon had never met her, but she'd heard all about her. A car horn next to them, caused Sharon to jump. They both turned.

"Speak of the devil," he said.

"I'll see you there, then, Andy," Sharon said.

"Andy?" Sharon heard and turned, still not aware that the voice was coming from Andy's sister; she'd gotten out of the car.

Andy sighed and shook his head, motioning between Sharon and Angela, "Ang, this is Sharon. Sharon, my sister, and before you say anything, Ang, no, I had no idea Sharon was going to come too."

"You're Sharon?" Angela said with raised eyebrows, giving Sharon a once over, before turning back to Andy.

"Ahh, yes, and obviously, you know all about me, and I've heard you have gotten to know Emily. Look, I'll leave you two to catch up, and I'll see you at the hospital," she said.

"Andy!" Angela snapped.

"Fine," Andy rolled his eyes. "Sharon, get in. You can ride with us."

Sharon started to object, but it was silly for three people going to the same place, standing in the same spot, not to ride together, so she pulled her bag over and got in.

"I know I don't deserve it, but thank you for the kindness," Sharon gave Angela a small smile as she got settled in the backseat.

"Let's focus on Emily," Andy barked, as he slumped in the front seat.

The ride to the hospital was relatively quiet. Sharon let Andy and Angela talk, trying to just look out the window. She could see Angela sneaking peeks at her as they drove, probably trying to get a read on Sharon now that she was finally seeing her in person. As they arrived at the hospital, Angela spoke to both of them.

"I wish I could go up with you, but I need to get into work. My boss was fine with me picking up my brother, but I can't take the day off. Andy, let me know how she's doing," Angela said. "I'll see you later."

Andy nodded, and as they pulled up, Sharon spoke up, "Angela, it was nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you, all wonderful things. Andy has always spoken so highly of you. Thank you for the ride."

Sharon got out before Angela could say anything; she didn't want to make it even more awkward, and she stood on the curb, waiting for Andy. It was awkward if she waited; it would be even more awkward if she went in and left him there, rude actually.

The two walked in silence, not saying a word until they got to the admission desk.

"Can I help you?" they were asked.

Sharon cleared her voice and spoke first, "Emily Raydor, ah, our daughter," she said.

It took a couple of minutes, but finally the two were on their way to Emily's room. The walk there, like everything else, was met with an awkward silence. Finally, when they got to the room, Sharon spoke again, "Look, Andy, I'll let you have this first part of the day, I guess now afternoon, but can I just check on her with you? I'll leave for awhile after I see she's okay."

"Fine, Sharon," Andy said.

Andy knocked on the door as he opened it; Sharon was still behind him in the hall. She hadn't asked if he told Emily he was coming; that would have been good information.

"Em?" he said.

"Dad," Sharon heard a groggy Emily, as Andy walked into the room. Sharon followed and cleared her voice as she did. Emily was focused on Andy and didn't see that Sharon had come too.

"Mom? You came too?" she asked.

Sharon nodded, as she stood at the end of the bed. Andy had stepped up next to the side of her bed, examining her arm that was all wrapped.

"I did. You called Ricky, and he called me. I didn't know Andy was coming; we ran into each other at the airport here. Emily, you had to know I would come. I love you. You are my daughter. I'm so sorry you fell," she said.

Emily was clearly groggy; even as Sharon was speaking, she had her eyes closed and looked exhausted. Andy jumped in, trying to get some information. "Em, what has the doctor said?"

Emily opened her eyes again, mumbling, "They fixed my arm. Good as new in a few weeks," she closed them again. Sharon turned to Andy, her gaze meeting his, and she nodded at him.

"I'm going to leave you two here for awhile," Sharon said. "I think I'll go check in at the hotel and come back," as she turned to Andy, a grimace on her face, "You wouldn't happen to be staying down the street, would you?"

"No," he shook his head. "Angela. I'm staying with her."

"Ahh," Sharon nodded. "Okay, I'll get checked in, freshen up, and I'll be back." Andy nodded.

Sharon left and got herself situated at the hotel. She even changed her clothes. There was something about a flight that left her feeling like she needed to freshen up. Sharon was about to head back to the hospital when her phone alerted her to a text. This time, she heard it.

"Did you eat? She's been sleeping the whole time. I haven't eaten all day, just the breakfast tray I got in first class," which caused Sharon to roll her eyes again at the thought he'd charmed his way into that.

"I was about to get something on the way back to the hospital. Do you want me to bring you something? There's a deli between here and there," she asked.

"I'll meet you there. No point in sitting here eating while she sleeps," he replied. Sharon sighed, hoping their meal would be at least civil. She expected a tense trip, but she didn't anticipate a double dose of the tension.


	8. Chapter 8

**I've had a few viewers say they are annoyed with me because I seem to "hate Emily" or "hate Sharon." I LOVE both characters! Andy was my original favorite on "The Closer," and when Sharon started on the show, I LOVED her instantly, yes, her commanding attitude that annoyed Brenda to no end. Quickly, I wanted Andy and Sharon to be paired, but we all knew that took a bit of time. Anyway, I write these stories because they are-stories. Sharon's a great, complex character to explore, just as Andy is, and I like to think of complex twists and turns that keep people interested. I also try to find angles, when I can, that haven't been overwritten, even if it's a story idea that has been written, I try to find a twist to it. In my opinion, a good fanfiction is more than just "everyone happy all the time," but I try to keep the stories close to the storyline and close to the character's actions. For me, Emily is a character we know very little about since she's not been on the show much. I'd like to think that with this storyline I've created, she has good reason to be mad, even if some say she sounds spoiled and unforgiving. Families are complicated, and Sharon has a mess on her hands. For those of you who enjoy, thank you! Just wanted to clear that up, that I don't hate any of the characters!**

* * *

Sharon had been sitting quite awhile when Andy finally flopped down in the chair across from her. She had her back to the front of the restaurant, so she hadn't seen him come in. She raised an eyebrow at him, noting is annoyed look.

"Sorry," he grumbled. "I got lost trying to get out of the hospital, and then, when I did get outside, it wasn't the same door we'd originally gone in. I had to walk around the block to get my bearings."

She nodded, "I wasn't sure if you were going to come," she explained. "I wondered if Emily had awakened, and you had decided to stay, or you'd just decided you didn't want to eat with me after all."

"Emily's still sleeping," he said, ignoring her other comment. "What looks good."

"I took the liberty of ordering you the Mediterranean salad. It looked good. If you don't want that, you can have the veggie wrap I ordered. I'll eat either, but the salad sounded like you," she admitted, which was true that she knew him, both well and for a long time."

"The salad is fine. Thanks," he offered his first comment of appreciation to her.

"You're welcome. When is your flight home?" she asked.

"Sunday," he offered. Sharon raised her eyebrows at him, and he shook his head. "You too?"

"Yes the 6:30 PM flight. You?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm the noon flight, so at least we aren't on the same flight again," he stated.

"Hmm," Sharon nodded, and before she said anything, the waitress brought the tea and coffee she'd ordered them.

"Thanks for getting me some coffee," he offered another nod of appreciation.

The two were quite for a few moments, both taking time to gaze around the restaurant. People looked happy, talking and laughing at several tables. Outside, the cold, but bustling people of New York moved about, all moving quickly with purpose.

"How is your sister?" Sharon asked, as she cleared her throat. Andy looked up at her with a bit of surprise.

"We just saw her-" he started to stay, but Sharon shook her head.

"No, I mean, how is she feeling? She had cancer; I remember. Last I heard, she was still finishing chemo, but that's been over a year ago now. How is she doing? I didn't want to ask and pry, especially since I could tell what she thinks of me, but I've thought of her often. When you mentioned taking Emily there for Thanksgiving, I wondered if she was doing better," Sharon explained.

"She's cancer-free," he gave a small smile. "It was a long, hard road, but she's bouncing back. Hopefully, she's beat it for good. I'm surprised you remembered," he said.

Sharon sighed, shaking her head, "Andy, I was invested; we were invested. I can still show compassion for others. You were really worried about her for a long time, so of course, I remembered."

He just nodded, but he didn't have to say anything further because their food was brought to them.

"The salad looks good. Thanks," he said glancing down, not making eye contact.

"I didn't know if you'd come eat at all, so I figured it was an easy item to box up for take out," she explained. Both started to eat, the food a good distraction.

"I still miss you, Andy," Sharon admitted, verbalizing it quietly as they ate. Andy sighed and put down his fork.

"Sharon," he started to say and then stopped, shaking his head. "Let's focus on Emily."

She nodded, "Doing that makes me think about you," she said.

Without looking at her and instead, stabbing lettuce, Andy said, "Well, then, Sharon, just do like you did for the first 25 years, and you won't think about me. What, maybe think about Jack?"

She narrowed her eyes at Andy, "Andy, just because I didn't tell you about Emily doesn't mean that I didn't think of you. Every single time I look at her, from the day she was born, through now, I think of you. I see you in her. I've never looked at her and thought of Jack. Jack said he could change; he didn't, but at the time, he didn't ask about Emily. There are two things I'm grateful for regarding Jack-he never brought up Emily's DNA, and he gave me Ricky. That's it. Andy, I miss you; I miss us. I see you in her, and it kills me. I did what I thought best, and obviously, I hurt you and Emily in the process."

"I just don't see how when we started dating a couple years ago now, that you didn't say anything. No-'By the way, Andy, remember 25 years ago? Well, we created Emily.' Nothing. You let the lie continue," he sighed.

"I should have told you; yes, you are right. Add that to the series of mistakes I've made over the past 25 years," she sighed.

"Instead, your good old deadbeat of an ex-husband was the one to break the daddy news to me," he scowled. "Sharon, Emily and I both deserved better than that."

"I know, Andy," she said with a raised tone. "Andy, I had no idea Jack knew you were Emily's father. I never told him. As I've told you, Jack never asked; he claimed Emily. He never asked. He and I both knew he wasn't her father, but we never spoke of it after we got back together. Never. That was both sad and refreshing. We never had those, 'She looks like you' comments because he and I both knew she couldn't look like him."

"She looks like Angela when she was Emily's age," Andy said. "So, tell me Sharon," Andy said, leaning back and crossing his arms, "how did good old Jack find out? If you didn't tell him, how did he find out? There's no way he just showed up at the condo on New Year's Eve, saw the four of us and put it together."

Sharon pursed her lips as she thought back to that evening. It had just been over a year ago. Andy and Sharon had been dating several months at that point, trying to plan a future together. They had spent months before they'd actually started dating, talking a lot more, after Major Crimes had a tough case. Sharon had run into Andy in the hall after she'd left Chief Pope's office, and Andy had asked if she wanted to grab some dinner. He'd told her he really could use a friend, and that's where things had started. They'd started as friends, that night, staying out almost all night talking. Andy had told Sharon he felt an urge to drink, and that he didn't feel a meeting would help as much as just venting to a fellow police officer, Sharon, in particular, would do. Their talking that night led to more and more time together, and a few months later, they officially decided to start dating. Sharon had been divorced for a couple of years, both kids glad to hear she was dating. They'd heard of Andy, but other than brief encounters over the years, running into him with their mom at work on occasion, neither had spent much time with him. So, that year for Christmas, they had spent some time getting to know Andy. Sharon had invited him over for New Year's Eve; the four were going to spend the evening at the condo, watching the celebrations on tv, while eating a lot of fun appetizers and desserts. Then, Jack had shown up.

 _"Jack! What are you doing here?" Sharon had said after she answered the door. She should have known it was Jack from the incessant pounding at the door. He was drunk, had been for quite awhile, most likely._

 _"Sharon," he said, slurring his words, "I came by to see my family. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year," he threw her a smile. "I brought wine to celebrate. You always like wine," he said, trying to push by her to get into the condo. She put her arm up to stop him, and at the sound of his voice, both Emily and Ricky had made their way over to the door. Andy was hanging back, only because he didn't want to cause trouble if it could be avoided._

 _"Jack, you're drunk. You aren't coming in here tonight," she said firmly._

 _He made a face at her, looking toward the kids, "Emily, Ricky, how are you? It's been too long. Sharon, you can't stop me from seeing the kids. I can go to court to see them."_

 _"Jack, both Emily and Ricky are over 18. You have no legal rights to see them. We will call you a cab so you can go to a hotel and sober up, but you aren't coming in here," Sharon said._

 _"Dad, she's right. Listen to Mom," Ricky said, walking up behind Sharon._

 _Jack frowned, and he noticed the dorky New Year hat Emily had on, "Oh, are you having a party? I can just come to your party." As he continued to escalate things, Andy did appear, wanting to provide backup for Sharon and the kids._

 _"What is he doing here?" Jack slurred more of his words, his finger trying to point at Andy, but he aimed it more toward Emily because his senses were off._

 _"Jack," Sharon put her hand on his arm to still him. "Jack, you need to go."_

 _"Dad, please don't cause a scene. It's New Year's Eve. Ricky and I are in town to visit. Why don't you sober up, and we can talk tomorrow? Maybe you, Ricky, and I can get lunch together. Please, Dad?" Emily said._

 _Jack waved her off, "Dad," he grumbled. "Kind of ironic her choice of words, isn't it Sharon? So, you divorce me and surprise, the old boyfriend returns. I'm sure you're enjoying having some of your happy little family reunited. Flynn, how does it feel to be a Baby Daddy? You're welcome for all the years I raised your kid."_

 _"Jack!" Sharon yelled, covering her mouth. She turned back to view Andy and Emily. Both were standing there, eyes wide open, trying to process what Jack had said. Sharon's eyes met Andy's and as he told her later, or really, yelled at her later, her eyes gave her away._

 _"Emily's mine!" Andy exclaimed, a panicked look on his face, as he looked from Sharon to Jack to Emily. Emily was still in shock, trying to piece everything together._

 _"Of course, she is, Flynn!" Jack grumbled. "Never put that together? Good old, Sharon. You two were an item, right? Ever take sex ed in school, Flynn? You remember how things work, right? She looks nothing like me. Wonder where she got her height, her features? Doesn't look like Sharon, either."_

 _"Oh, Jack," Sharon sighed, before she mustered all the strength she had to push him out of the condo. "Jack, go! You will not come back here. Leave the house or I will call patrol to pick you up."_

 _Sharon slammed the door and turned back to Emily and Andy Sharon was already crying, and when she met Emily's gaze, Emily burst out crying too. Andy had walked away, hands on his head, and he was pacing the condo._

Sharon snapped out of her haze, noting that Andy, the very person she had in her memory, full of hurt, was still that Andy sitting in front of her. Sharon cleared her throat before speaking again, "When I finally had it out with Jack about everything, two days after everything blew up at the condo, he told me I'd called out your name in my sleep on several occasions. He'd heard me mumble that I couldn't wait to meet our baby. I'd said your name," she said, as she looked down at her hands in her lap.

"He put it all together from that?" he asked.

Sharon looked up briefly, and she sighed again, "He also said that once he'd heard me say your name, he started digging around, and he heard some rumors we'd been seen together around the building and even at dinner a few times, as you remember," she said.

Andy just shook his head and looked away, "Yeah, well, what a secret, Sharon. Just great. The only thing good to come of all that is to actually know Emily. I'm grateful for that, even if the deadbeat had to be the one to tell me. I can't believe you weren't going to tell me. Sharon, we were talking about important things, the type of things two people discuss when they are in for the long haul, marriage, and all that. You kept a horrible secret."

"I know! I know, Andy," Sharon said shaking her head. She had tears in her eyes. "Don't you think I realize that? I lost almost everything that night. It was the worst night of my life. When I tell you now I miss you, I do. I didn't want to break things off with you; you did that, and I understand why, but it doesn't just turn off my feelings. I miss you; I miss us, and I wish we could somehow have that again."

Andy huffed, "The storybook family you created in your mind isn't going to happen, Sharon."

"So, what's the answer?" Sharon asked. "It's been over a year, and things between us are so tense. I don't want that. I don't want us to be those parents to Emily, the kind that are like divorced parents who can't even speak to each other."

"We aren't divorced, and I have hardly had a chance to be a parent because you never told me I had a daughter!" Andy exclaimed.

"I know!" Sharon said, a bit too loudly. She took a deep breath, "Andy, I'm sorry. I'm going to be sorry for the rest of my life, and I hope that one day you can forgive me. I was protecting my family. You might not understand, but you were drinking. I saw it, and we would have been a mess back then. Andy, I was afraid of our future. Jack was trying to make amends and move forward. I was married to him. You were sinking deeper and deeper into a bottle. Sure, the few occasions you were sober around me, things were great, more than great, but I wasn't enough to pull you away from the bottle. I didn't think Emily was enough either to pull you from the bottle. Your other two kids weren't enough, so why would another child, a child with a woman to whom you weren't married, be enough? Andy, who were we kidding? We had our fun, and I made a mistake, several mistakes, and I was deceptive. I can't change the past, and then, I saw my future-I saw the future for my baby and myself, and the best option was Jack, at least then. I am so very sorry. I hope that as you continue to work through this you can attempt to see my side of things and understand that I didn't think a baby or I could pull you from a bottle," Sharon said, standing and throwing some cash on the table. "I'll be in my room at the hotel. I'll come by the hospital in a couple hours to switch out with you to sit with Emily. I'm determined to tell her everything I just told you."

When Sharon returned to the hospital a couple hours later, she found Emily awake, but no Andy. Instead, he'd left a note for her taped to the door.

"Sharon-she slept most of the afternoon, and as I write this, she is still sleeping. I won't bother your time with her. I'll take the morning shift, 8-noon, and then you can have the rest of the day. I won't bother you. I hope, for your sake, you two can work things out. One thing I can tell about her after getting to know her the last year-she's smart and strong willed like her mother, and she doesn't give up. I'll text you tomorrow-A."

"I brought you some Chinese," Sharon said, walking in the room, thinking about the letter Andy had written. "We don't have to talk, but I would like to sit here with you."

Sharon put the food down, and she opened the cartons, all things she knew Emily loved. She went through the motions of setting up all the food, and when she sat down in the chair next to Emily's bed, she finally looked over, meeting Emily's gaze.

"You didn't have to come," Emily said. "I'm going to be fine once I get out of here."

"I know," Sharon said. "I wanted to come."

"Did you only come because Dad came?" she asked.

Sharon threw a glance at Emily, a glance Emily knew well, one of the 'you are in trouble' looks, "No, I didn't even know he'd come. I ran into him at the airport, here in New York, actually. No, after Ricky called me, I left Andy a message telling him I was coming here and explaining what happened."

"He already knew what happened. I was talking to him on my way home when I fell," she said.

"I heard, but at the time, I didn't know that. Emily, I came because, even as an adult, you are my baby. You were injured, so I came. No matter how things are between us right now, I love you. I've loved you since before you were born," Sharon said.

"Hmmm, the irony in that statement," Emily said crisply. "So, were you hoping I was Andy or Jack's kid? There had to be some disappointment there, so what was it?"

Sharon nodded, "We can have this out right here, right now. You ran out and haven't said much to me in over a year, so fine. Let's talk."


	9. Chapter 9

Emily threw her head back against her pillow and closed her eyes. She might not be able to leave the room, but she didn't have to look at Sharon right now. She tried to drown out Sharon, not interested in the explanation, but she found herself listening to her mom's indiscretion from her past.

Sharon started, "Emily, you are an adult, so I'm not going to give you the filtered version of the story. I met your dad over 25 years ago at work. We were both in a required yearly training seminar. It was one of those about police polices or something. Honestly, I can't even remember what it was about anymore. Anyway, he had just made detective, and I was studying for the exam myself. That's how we got to talking. He started sharing some tips about the exam. My life was a mess, and work was the only good thing I had going for me," she sighed and looked to Emily. "Two weeks before I met your dad at this seminar, I had come home from work to find Jack in our bed with another woman. He was supposed to be in class; he was in his third year of law school, and he must have lost track of time. I obviously took them by surprise, but needless to say, it was a terrible experience."

Sharon took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts, noting that Emily had cracked her eye open when she had explained about Jack. Sharon had never told Emily that; it didn't excuse Sharon's behavior; Sharon knew that, but it was part of the story.

"Anyway, I found Jack with this secretary from the firm where he was completing an internship. Jack tried to tell me it was a one-time thing, as if that would have changed anything, but as we argued into the night, he confessed he'd started sleeping with her the day he met her, a month prior. So, I threw him out. I wasn't sure what I was going to do. Looking back, I should have divorced him then, but I also wouldn't have Ricky. Emily, I've learned that sometimes in life, the things you look back on and wish you could change, well, you really don't want to change because it has a trickle-down effect. If I'd cut ties with Jack then, as I should have, Ricky wouldn't be here. I couldn't imagine life without Ricky," she offered a small smile. She noted that Emily was just staring back at her now, eyes open, but not saying anything.

"So, I met Andy the first day of the class. It was one of those week-long classes, so I spent a lot of time with him that week. He was funny," she smiled, thinking of the memory, "and honestly, he was very charming, still is. You know how he is. He flashes that smile, and it just makes you melt. He happened to sit by me the first day, and we ended up having lunch together and chatting during our breaks. I learned he'd recently gotten divorced, so he was a good sounding board. One major mistake I made was letting him assume I was also divorced. I explained what Jack had done and how I had thrown him out, and I never specified that I was divorced. That was my mistake, because I want you to know that you dad is a good man; he didn't know I was married. That was me," Sharon said as she took another deep breath before she continued.

"After the seminar, Andy asked if we could get together, and that Saturday night, we went on a date. We went to the typical dinner and a movie, nothing grand, but we had a good time. I missed someone desiring me, and Andy certainly did. He was also interested in me, something that had disappeared with Jack. Andy told me all about the kids; they were toddlers then, and he was desperate to see them. He told me his wife thought he drank too much, but at that point, when he was around me, he wasn't drunk. He would have a drink or two when we were out, but then, I didn't see Andy as an alcoholic right away. I know I should have stayed away from him, but I was also reeling from Jack. On some level, I wanted to get back at Jack. I still hadn't decided what I was going to do about Jack. He'd tried calling and coming by the house on several occasions, but I'd put him off; we hadn't yet talked. Andy took me out that first weekend, and even then, during the next week, we went out a couple more times. By that next weekend, I slept with him; we'd both had a few drinks, but it was something we both thought we wanted. As I said, it was wrong, and while I liked him very much, then, I didn't love him, and I was still married to Jack. It was a bad decision, but as I said before, if that hadn't happened, I wouldn't have you," she smiled at Emily. "I'm very, very glad to have you. You and Ricky are the best things in my life, no matter what and no matter who your dad is or isn't."

Emily was still just lying in the bed, not talking. Sharon could tell Emily was letting Sharon explain her story without interruption, so she continued.

"After I slept with Andy, I felt so guilty. I knew I had messed up, and I really didn't know what to do. It tore me up for a couple of weeks. I spent all a Sunday in confession, and when I got home that evening, Jack was waiting for me in the driveway. We were renting this small house, and he was sitting in his car, waiting on me. He'd brought flowers, and well, I let him in. We talked a lot that night, probably more than we had in months. I don't know when we'd gotten so off track, but we'd both done it, and we'd both broken our marriage vows. I didn't feel like I could divorce Jack for infidelity when I had done the same to him. Plus, I'd spent all day in church, wanting a sign, and I'd gone home to find Jack. I was upfront with Jack and told him that I'd slept with someone else. I broke down then," Sharon teared up, looking at Emily. She took another deep breath. "I broke down with Jack because I'd found out that morning I was pregnant with you. That was why I'd spent the entire day at church. I didn't know what to do; I'd committed so many sins, and I was just a mess. So, there I sat, explaining to my husband I, too, had cheated, and worse, I was now pregnant. Emily, Jack and I both knew there was no possibility you were his, but Sweetheart, he said he wanted me back. He wanted us, our family, and if I have one good thing to say about Jack it is that. He did love you, even if you don't believe that. He turned into a much different man than I ever imagined, but yes, there was a time he truly loved you. Even now, he still does, in Jack's own way. We had a few good years with you, and as you know, after Ricky came along, he left for good."

Sharon got up to move around; she couldn't sit still anymore, "Jack and I talked about reconciling when I told him I was pregnant with you, and we set some firm ground rules. I let him move back in, but it took us a couple of months before we wanted to be intimate again. It was like earning that trust all over again. In all of this, I'm sure you are wondering how I could do this to Andy. Well, after we slept together that first time, I knew it couldn't happen again. I told Andy that, told him that I couldn't see him anymore. It was then that I started to really notice his drinking. I'd always seen him with a couple drinks when we had gone out, but I started to hear rumors through the building that he was at the bar every night. He'd also mentioned that he was having issues seeing the kids because Sandra didn't want them around Andy if he was drinking. I didn't want to believe it, but as I started to open my eyes, I saw it. Just like Jack has changed, so has Andy. I loved the Jack of then and the Andy of now. Jack never changed; Andy did. Back then, he was in no condition to be a father; he had his own children he couldn't see, and I felt the need to protect you. I had my husband, a man who was trying and wanted you. Andy was slipping, deeper and deeper into the bottle, and I knew that since his own children couldn't pull him out, my news of another baby couldn't either."

Sharon looked back over at Emily; Emily had tears running down her face, but she still hadn't said anything.

"Would you please say something? Anything?" Sharon asked.

"I'm so mad!" Emily suddenly exclaimed. "After Jack's big reveal, I came back here to New York. I didn't know what to do. I felt like my life was a total lie! It took me a couple of weeks to even want to return Dad's calls, but I was still too scared. I was only talking to Ricky, and he encouraged me to go and see Grandma and Grandpa. I did that over Valentine's Day. They were a huge help, and after that weekend, I finally called Dad. He told me that the two of you had had a major falling out over all this, and after arguing for days, you'd broken up. He, himself, was just starting to dig out from the mess. He asked if he could come and visit. That first visit was so awkward, even after I'd gotten to know him before at Christmas, but we worked through it. He came to visit in March, and then he came again in late June. He came for Thanksgiving too. Mom, I needed time away from you to just get to know him. I couldn't deal with you yet. I like Dad so much. I love him. He's kind and funny. I can actually understand parts of your story, but I can't imagine my life without Dad now. You were going to keep him from me. You were going to let deadbeat Jack continue on with the ruse. Mom, Dad loves me too. I am so mad that you were going to let me drift through life not knowing him. You want to talk about things that produce good-who would have thought drunk Jack coming to the condo could be good? It was because it exposed this mess. Dad is so good to me, and I'm so happy we have been getting to know each other."

Sharon closed her eyes and nodded, "I know. Andy is a good man. I am very well aware of it. If you recall, I was dating him when this all came out. I know how wonderful he is. Emily, I want you to think, though. He wasn't being a good dad then. He's admitted it. You talk to Nicole-ask her. She barely saw Andy when she was younger because Andy was drinking. You're getting the 15 years sober Andy, and that is a wonderful Andy. The drinking Andy," she shook her head, "he was a different person, and had you known him then, you might be disappointed like Nicole now. She and Andy are still rebuilding things. I know you talk to her, and I hope you listen to your sister. I regret you didn't know your sister and other brother before now, but I do hope you are talking and listening to her. Andy is also stubborn and hot headed, not that I'm not stubborn myself, but he needed time to cool off, and for something this big, it's taken this long. We're finally not screaming at each other, which is progress. It's been a very long process. It took him years to start mending fences with Sandra and the kids, and I'm hoping it's not that sort of process here with you."

"Nicole is awesome, and I've got Nathan and then Aunt Angela. Dad and I are getting along well, very well. Mom, you kept me from all this other family," Emily said.

"I did. I was protecting you when your dad wasn't fit to raise you. I'm sorry if you don't see that. I'm sorry this all came out as it did. I was struggling with it, dating Andy. I wanted to tell him, tell you, but I didn't know how. Andy asked me if I had plans to tell you both, and I'll tell you want I told him-honestly, I don't know. I wanted to tell you both, but I was afraid of losing you. I don't want to lose you. You've been mad at me for a year, and you can continue being mad, but I wanted to take this opportunity to explain. It's the first I've been around you in a year. I miss you; I love you, and I am here if you want to talk. Your dad and I must work together, so I see him all the time. I wish I saw you more, but I will leave that up to you. I've told you the story, a year later, but I've finally had a chance to explain. I can't apologize anymore; I've been doing that for a year. You can decide how things proceed. Now, I am going to go. I'm going to let you process everything and get some rest. Call Andy if you want. Call Nicole. Call Ricky. Don't shut down. I love you," Sharon said, squeezing Emily's hand and walking out before she started to break down herself.

Sharon didn't sleep well that night; she barely slept at all. Instead, she found herself staring at the lights of New York from her hotel room. She had spoken to Ricky once she'd calmed herself down in her hotel room, telling him that Emily was doing as well as expected. After a very restless night, she went to the hotel gym early the next morning where she walked four miles before she even realized it. By 8:30, she was showered and had even found coffee and a bagel. She was restless, yet she didn't want to barge into Emily's room because she knew it was Andy's shift. She ended up window shopping, not buying anything, and found herself back at the hospital just before 12.

Sharon had brought lunch for Emily and hoped she would eat it. She almost ran into Andy as she rounded the corner, heading for her room.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, and then she realized just exactly whom she had run into there in the hall. "Andy," she said.

"I was on my way out. The surgeon was in this morning and said her arm is looking good. He wants her to start some physical therapy today here, and then he'll discharge her tomorrow," he explained.

"Okay," Sharon nodded. "Do you want to get her in the morning, or do you want me to do that?"

"Well, I can get her home and settled if maybe you want to do the same schedule tomorrow. Maybe you can get her groceries or something. I want to get her setup for awhile before going back to LA," he said.

Sharon nodded in agreement, "Yes, I do too. How was she this morning?"

"Okay," he said. "She'll have physical therapy while you are there, and the doc said that could wear her out, even something that seems so simple. She said she didn't sleep well at all, so she was tired. She looked like she was ready for a nap, so she might already be asleep."

"That's fine," Sharon said. "I bought a book, so I can read. I can text you later if there is any change to the plans."

"Ahh, okay," he scratched his head, something Sharon knew he did when he had something to say. "Listen, Angela said you are to come to dinner tonight."

Sharon's eyes got wide, "Your sister invited me to dinner? Why?"

Andy shrugged, "Against my better judgement, she said she wasn't going to be a bad hostess. You're in town, staying at a hotel, so she said you were to come to dinner. I tried to get out of it."

"Okay," Sharon nodded. "I can come to dinner. Where do I need to go?"

"Just be at the hospital entrance at 5:00. I'll come and get you there. New York isn't as easy to figure out, so it will be easier to get you than to explain how to get there," Andy said.

"See you at 5:00," Sharon nodded.


	10. Chapter 10

"You didn't need to bring anything," Andy said eyeing a box Sharon had in her hand. She was waiting in front of the hospital where they had agreed to meet.

"I know, but I wanted to bring something. How do you greet your daughter's aunt who hates you?" she asked. "I mean, really?"

He walked alongside her, not looking at her, but instead looking at the ground, "She doesn't hate you. She invited you to dinner, didn't she?"

"Hmm," Sharon said as they walked. "How long will it take us to get there?"

"We can hop on the subway; that's easiest at this time of day. 20 minutes," he said. They arrived almost 20 minutes later exactly, his sister with a brownstone walk up. Sharon looked up at it.

"It's a pretty building, very New York," she said, trying to make small talk. The ride there had been mostly silence, the two just navigating through New York and then the subway. Any conversation had been idle chit chat.

"Yeah, she's been here for years," he said. "Come on. Let's get this show on the road."

"Sharon, thank you for coming," Angela said, clasping Sharon's hand in hers. She was already much friendlier than she had been at the airport, but Sharon had to admit seeing her probably came as a big surprise.

"Angela, thank you for inviting me. You really didn't need to do that," Sharon offered.

"Nonsense! I've heard all about you, so with you in town, dinner needed to happen. Now, you didn't need to bring anything," she said, inviting Sharon further into the house. Andy stepped in around Sharon.

"Hi Ang," Andy smirked. "Nice to see you too."

"You're staying here while you are in town. I don't need to greet you each time you enter or leave the house," Angie said, rolling her eyes. "Brothers," she shrugged at Sharon. "Now, what did you bring?"

"Oh," Sharon said, holding up the box. She was intrigued. She expected Angela to give her the cold shoulder from the start, but she'd been kind so far. "I brought a cheesecake from this bakery down from my hotel."

"Cheesecake, oh that sounds fantastic. Andy's favorite," she added. "Well, we all love cheesecake. Who doesn't, right?"

Sharon shrugged, "Well, New York is known for cheesecake. Here you go," she handed it to her.

"Now, come in. Can I offer you wine? I know you like wine," Angela said. Sharon eyed her, even though Angela had turned and didn't see it. Apparently, Emily had told Angela a lot about Sharon.

"Umm, yes," she said. "I'll have whatever you are having."

"Andy, is Emily still being released tomorrow?" Angie asked, getting the wine ready for herself and Sharon.

"As far as I know. Sharon was the one there this afternoon. I was running some errands," he said, filling up a glass of water for himself.

"She is," Sharon said. "She started physical therapy on her hand today, and it annoyed her, but it will get her arm back into shape. They told her in another week or so, she could dance with the cast, but they wanted her to be extra careful because reinjuring it, well, I don't need to explain that."

"That's good to hear," Angela smiled as she pulled the casserole out of the oven. "I made baked ziti if that is okay," she looked to Sharon.

"Sounds good," Sharon nodded, "better than anything I've been eating."

"Now," Angela said, turning back to Sharon as she started to plate the food, "how is Ricky?"

Sharon almost choked on the sip of wine she was having, and she quickly put down her glass. Andy was busy getting the salad onto plates, so he wasn't looking at her when she looked to him.

"Ricky?" Sharon asked.

"Yes, your son," Angela said. "I've heard all about him."

Sharon had her hand in the air, motioning, "Ahh, you know that Ricky isn't, um," Sharon tried to not jumble her words.

Angela seemed to get what Sharon was trying to say, "I know that Ricky isn't Andy's kid too? Yes, I know, but it doesn't mean I can't ask about him. Family is family, and if he's Ricky's sister, well, I'm interested in him too."

"Ang, if she doesn't want to talk about him," Andy started to say, but Sharon put up her hand.

"Andy, it's fine. I guess I was taken by surprise that you know so much about my family and would ask about Ricky. Ricky is well. He just graduated from college last summer, so he's getting used to being a working adult," she smiled. "He's a computer guy, your typical computer geek. He loves living in San Francisco, and he's found a job where they are more interested in his brain than his attire. He can still keep him "homeless look" as I call it, you know, the jeans that look like they haven't been washed in months, the ratty t-shirts, and the hair, oh the hair."

"Basically," Andy cut in, explaining it further to Angela, "he looks like an over six-foot overgrown kid who doesn't have to wear a suit to work or cut his hair."

Sharon tried not to chuckle at Andy's correct assessment, "Yes, that would be correct, and that look drives me nuts. I'd much prefer a polished, suit look," she shrugged, "but that's Ricky."

"Ahh, yes, I've seen him in a few pictures. Emily mentioned he is planning to visit her this summer," Angela said.

Sharon nodded, "Yes, that will be his first vacation time, and I'm glad he wanted to come see her in New York. Now, I'm sure he'll find plenty to do here besides see Emily, but still," she shrugged.

"Well, I'll keep an eye on him, just as I do on Emily. Sharon, I hope you know, that despite everything, you can always call if you need anything for Emily. I don't mind. She's family," Angela explained.

Sharon nodded, "Yes," she said in a crisp tone, "that she is."

A moment of silence grew into an awkward moment, and Angela broke it by clasping together her hands, "Let's eat."

The meal went as well as expected, maybe better than Sharon had imagined. Andy remained quiet through the meal, but Sharon was pleasantly surprised that Angela was gracious and kind. The conversation was light; they didn't get into specifics. They didn't need to right now. Everyone at that table knew the whole story. Before long, they had finished dinner and the cheesecake dessert Sharon had brought.

Throughout dinner, Sharon kept waiting for the bomb to drop. She kept waiting for the grand inquisition, the 20 questions from Angela, but Angela never said a word about any of it. Other than just asking questions about the kids in general, the topics were light. She asked for a few stories involving cases Sharon had to deal with Andy, and surprisingly, that helped ease a lot of tension. By the end of dinner, Sharon found herself actually glad Angela had invited her to eat. Andy had even been decent during dinner; they hadn't argued, so that was a start.

"I should get going. I need to get back to the hotel. Busy day tomorrow getting Emily situated," she said standing to clear her plate.

"Oh, leave that," Angela said. "I'll get it. You're the one who flew across the country to see your daughter in the hospital. Andy said you both were going back on Sunday. I'll check on her this week."

"Yes, different flights, Sunday," Sharon clarified. "Thank you for checking in on her. I do appreciate it."

"Of course. It is what families do, right Andy?" she asked.

"Sure, Ang," he said, nodding, trying not to involve himself too much in the conversation.

"Thank you for having me," Sharon said, moving to put on her coat. Andy had disappeared into the kitchen, but Angela was walking Sharon to the door. "It was very nice to finally talk to you. I'm glad to see you are doing so well after dealing with cancer."

"Thank you," Angela said. "I am glad to be done with that too, just hope that I've kicked it for good. I didn't know you were aware of that. It was a couple years ago."

Sharon shrugged, "I knew. He was really worried about you then."

"Ahh, yes," Angela nodded.

"Well, I'll get going, and if there's anything I need to know about Emily-" Sharon said.

"I'll call you. I'll get your number from Andy. I'll make him give it to me," Angela smiled. "And, next time I come to LA to visit Andy, I'll give you call."

Sharon looked at her with an odd expression; she wasn't expecting any of this behavior from Angela. It was almost like she didn't know the whole story, but Sharon knew she did.

"Ready to go?" Andy reappeared, coat on and fixing his scarf.

Sharon eyed him suspiciously, "You don't have to take me back to the hotel," she explained.

Andy shrugged, as Angela moved out of the way so he could get to the door, "I don't have to take you back, but I'm going to. I know you are a cop, but you don't know this area, and last thing you need to do is wander around lost all evening. Now, go," he opened the door and used his arm to encourage her to leave.

Sharon stepped out into the winter air, gripping her coat closer to her. "Really, Andy, I'm fine," she said, after he'd closed the door and followed her, putting on his gloves.

"Really? What train do you need to take then?" he asked. The streetlights were illuminating things well enough that he could see Sharon roll her eyes.

"Fine," she said, and the two walked in silence toward the train. "Why did your sister invite me to dinner?" Sharon asked. "I mean, I appreciate it, but why? I expected the grand inquisition or for her to go off on me like you can."

He shrugged, "She was being kind. You're staying in the city, and that's what she does."

"Hmm," Sharon hummed, thinking over his answer. "Well, please tell her again I said thank you."

"She loves Emily," he offered. "Funny, she's getting to know her better than she knows Nicole or Nathan. They are rarely here, so for once, she's enjoying having a niece nearby. She doesn't have any of her own kids, so I think they have been getting closer."

"Sometimes good can even come out of a mess, Andy," Sharon said, and the silence descended once again. They didn't say much as they got on the right train, and even the ride was quiet. As they approached the station, Sharon spoke again. "I can get it from here. I remember the way."

"Look, I'm at least getting you back to the hotel. Emily, even if she's mad right now, would kill me if anything happened to you," Andy said.

Sharon sighed, as she shook her head, "Fine."

The short walk back to the hotel was awkward; neither knew what to say. When they had been dating, they never ran out of topics. It was never awkward. The big secret had caused them to lose all footing, and they had trouble just being around each other anymore. All the ease of conversation seemed to evaporate the moment Emily's DNA was revealed.

"Thank you for walking me back to the hotel," Sharon said as they walked up to the building. "Are you going to be at the hospital first thing?"

"No, why don't you take that shift. I'll stop by mid-morning, which the doc said was more likely when she would be released. I can get her home then if you want to stock her food," he offered.

"Fine," Sharon nodded in agreement. "Be careful going back," Sharon nodded to him and turned and walked into her hotel. She made it was far as the lounge and decided to get a glass of wine to unwind. It had been a stressful evening, and that was under good circumstances. Tomorrow would be a new day, and hopefully, it wouldn't be as stressful. She didn't know if Emily would talk to her, but Sharon felt like she'd cleared the air as much as she could. She wasn't going to apologize to either of them anymore; this trip had allowed her the voice she needed. Now, much like Emily's arm, it was time for healing, whatever that meant.


	11. Chapter 11

Sharon didn't sleep well that night. Truthfully, she hadn't slept well in a very long time, and she had finally figured out that she needed to move on. She couldn't keep beating herself up about the past. She'd had it out with Andy and Emily, all her family, really, but if she wanted a healthy future, she needed to move on. She had put things out there for everyone, and she knew there was no quick fix, but she also knew she couldn't keep apologizing and waiting around for everyone to just forgive her. They might never get to that point. It was a hard fact to realize, but she did. She loved her daughter, but she couldn't force her to forgive her or want to be part of her life. Sharon would always try with Emily, always reach out, but she couldn't continue to hope Emily would come around.

Andy was a similar story. She had pled her case, and she couldn't do anything more right now. He didn't want to hear it; she understood that. The two could go their separate ways, she had finally realized. Yes, they weren't screaming, so that hopefully meant work could be civil. They had managed to get through this Emily crisis with her broken arm, so it was possible to deal with their daughter together when need be. Other than that, she needed to close the chapter on Andy Flynn once and for all. She needed to move on.

It wasn't healthy to continue to live in the state she had been. She wasn't trying to be harsh, but she had apologized enough for the mistakes of her past, and she was quite frankly, tired of having to do so. She knew she'd messed up, but on some level, she might have done it again because she felt it had protected Emily. It hadn't given Emily a storybook life, but who had one? It had protected Emily from another relationship that could have ended in disaster. Who was to say that if Emily and Andy had known from the start they would be close now? They might hate each other because Andy's drinking had certainly taken its toll on his other children. The past was the past; it couldn't be changed, and it couldn't be easily fixed. Hindsight is always 20/20, and Sharon knew she needed to move on. She still had a lot of years of her life left to live, and she was tired of living them alone in misery.

All of this really hit her as she had sat in the hotel bar sipping on her wine alone the night prior. She watched as young couples seemed to be so happy, even so carefree. She watched people come and go from the hotel, all seemingly happy, and she wanted that too. She wanted to be happy for once. Honestly, she hadn't been happy much in her life. She'd spent most of her adult life a miserable mess trying to raise her kids. Work had been satisfying, her kids had been her joy, but her failure as a wife always lingered. Now, here, she'd vowed to wipe her slate clean and try to be happy.

Sharon had finally retired to her room and called Ricky to update him on Emily. He was surprised to hear Sharon had been at dinner with Andy and his sister, but Sharon explained that Angela was kind and on some level, seemed to view her as family, as she did with Ricky.

"She asked about you too," Sharon explained to Ricky.

"Me? She's never met me," he said.

"I know, but that's the point. She wants to meet you when you are here this summer. Please be kind and visit with her, for Emily's sake. Angela is a lovely person, and she never once brought up the mess. I truly believe she wants to include you even as part of her family because Emily is. You two seem to be a package deal," Sharon sighed.

"Thanks for the heads up," Ricky told her. "Emily does really like her. She talks about her all the time when we talk. I know she spends time with her."

"Good," Sharon said. "Emily can use all the help she can get, and Angela is a good role model. I can tell. Indulge her when you meet her for my sake," Sharon pleaded.

"I will, Mom," Ricky said. "So, you sound a bit more upbeat than you have in awhile. Are things going better with Emily or Andy or both?"

"No," Sharon said shaking her head. "I had a realization tonight though that I can't keep apologizing. It's not healthy, and I need to move on."

"Okay," Ricky said, a bit intrigued, "so, what does that mean?"

"I'm not sure," Sharon admitted. "I want to make some changes when I get home. I been unhappy most of my adult life, and I'd like to find some happiness. I sat watching a lot of people tonight."

"Mom, people watching is always a bit misleading. People always seem to look perfectly happy when you watch them. It's often a façade," Ricky said.

"True," Sharon agreed, "but, I watched people enjoying their evenings. I rarely enjoy an evening. It's always work, and when I'm not working, I'm home alone. I don't have a lot of friends. How could I? I'm always at work, and no one wants to be a friend to an FID officer. I'm around cops all day, and I think I need a change of scenery."

"Change of scenery? Mom, like moving?" he asked.

"No," Sharon shook her head. "I like the condo, and I like my job, but it's not fulfilling. You and Emily are grown. You are the only one speaking to me at the moment. I think I might want to start dating again," she said quickly, realizing that once she admitted it, the feeling felt good.

"Really?" Ricky said. "You've never really dated much. There was always Dad, and then just Andy," he said. "Looking back, I guess it was always just them, wasn't it?"

Sharon nodded and shrugged, "Yes, so maybe it's time I find a healthy relationship. I think at my age I'm due that, and a healthy relationship will start with no secrets."

"Well, Mom, I only want you to be happy. I'm sorry you are lonely. I get it, though. You don't need anyone, but you've been alone enough; you've proven you can more than do that, but you watch others enjoy nights' out, and yes, you deserve that too. Just don't spill all your drama on your first dates," he teased.

Sharon chuckled, "What? Might come off as a bit of a mess?" she joked.

"A bit," Ricky said. "Well, there are plenty of dating sites if you want to start with that."

"Oh gosh," Sharon said. "Am I that lady? Am I the crazy middle aged lady who is going to throw some superficial picture of herself up there to have men evaluate?"

"Welcome to the world of dating these days," Ricky laughed. "It won't be that bad. I can help you get it setup, and I'll steer you to the sites you'd like best. There are tons of them out there, and some are terrible."

"I'll think about it," Sharon told him. "Maybe when I get back to LA," she offered.

"Well, whenever you are ready, I'm your guy," Ricky said.

"You've always been my guy, Ricky," Sharon smiled. "It's getting really late. I love you, and I'll talk to you in a couple days when I get home."

"Sounds good, Mom. Love you," Ricky said and hung up.

So, now the next morning, as Sharon grabbed breakfast to take to the hospital for Emily, she felt a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. The guilt was dissipating; she'd always feel badly for hurting Emily and Andy, but she was done obsessing over it. As she stood in line, she continued to people watch, now noting men. She hadn't really looked at men in a very long time, and she continued to think that maybe Ricky was right. Maybe she should try an online dating site. She needed to get out of her pool of police officers and lawyers. She needed to see there were still other people in the world, people who didn't arrest suspects or try them in court each day. She needed a new perspective.

Sharon arrived in Emily's hospital room before 8:00 to find it empty. Emily's stuff was there, but she wasn't.

"Excuse me," Sharon said, as she walked back to the nurses' station. "I'm looking for my daughter, Emily Raydor?"

"Ahh, yes, Mrs. Raydor, your daughter is in physical therapy. She's scheduled to be discharged this morning, and the physical therapist wanted to get in another session to go over a few things before she goes home."

"Thank you," Sharon said and returned to the room to wait. She still had her book with her. It was Saturday morning, and this was her last full day in New York. She'd head home tomorrow, and Sharon prayed today wasn't just a dreadfully long day. She had decided she would give Emily and Andy some space; they didn't want her around, so she'd let them have their time. Sharon was here if Emily needed her, but she wasn't going to force the issue.

It was almost an hour later before Emily returned to her room. Sharon had tried to read, but because she hadn't slept well, she found herself dozing.

"Emily, hi," Sharon offered her a slight smile. "How was physical therapy?"

"Fine," Emily sighed, getting situated back on her bed. "I'm supposed to be discharged in an hour or so."

"Okay," Sharon nodded. "I brought you a bagel and a fruit cup. Your dad is going to get you home and settled. I thought I would do some grocery shopping for you."

"Not necessary. I can take care of it later," Emily said.

"I know. I know you are capable, but I want to help. I'll leave you with Andy, and I'll go do that. It's the least I can do right now," she said.

Sharon heard Emily's phone text ding.

"Dad's on his way. He said he'd be here in 10 minutes," Emily stated.

"That's fine, then," Sharon said, standing, wanting to avoid a run-in with Andy. "I'll get out of your hair, then. I've been here awhile because I didn't know you had physical therapy. Text me anything in particular you would like. I'll give you and your dad some time," she said, leaning over and kissing Emily on the head. She hadn't done that in a very long time, and as hard as it was to turn and leave, she did, knowing that Emily didn't want her there.

Sharon took a few hours to make her way to Emily's apartment, knowing that if anything had gone wrong, she would have heard about it. She lugged the groceries to the door, knocking as she entered.

"I brought groceries and dinner whenever you want to eat it," Sharon offered, not making eye contact with anyone as she deposited the groceries in Emily's small kitchen area. She could tell by the sound of the footsteps Andy had followed her.

"Do you have more groceries in the hall or downstairs?" he asked.

"No, this is it," Sharon said. "Don't mind me; I'll put this all away."

"I can leave now if you want to spend time here," Andy offered.

Sharon shook her head, "No, you stay. She would rather be around you. I'm going to get some dinner, and I bought myself a ticket to a play."

Andy raised his eyebrows in surprise, "You are going to a play? By yourself?"

"Yes," Sharon shrugged. "Why is that so strange?"

He shook his head in surprise, "I'm just surprised. I thought you might sit here this evening."

"Does Emily need me?" Sharon raised her eyebrow in question.

"No," Andy held up his hand. "I just didn't think you would want to leave her."

"Well," Sharon said, moving around the kitchen, "she doesn't want me around, so I'm not going to force it. You two can enjoy your evening."

"Okay," Andy said, drawing out the word, and walked away, ending the discussion.

Emily emerged from her bathroom, unaware Sharon had arrived.

"Oh, Mom. Um, thanks for the food," she said.

"You're welcome. I just told Andy I was dropping this off and then going to leave. I'm going to get some dinner and have a ticket to a play," she explained again.

"Really, a play?" Emily asked.

"Yes, I-" Sharon started to say but was interrupted by her phone. She pulled it out of her pocket, and she groaned at the name.

Emily's apartment was small, and there was nowhere to take a call in private, but she had been plagued by this caller now for a day now. She decided to get it over so she could enjoy her evening. She had a feeling the calls would continue all night. So, she stepped a few steps away from where Emily and Andy had settled on Emily's barstools.

"What can I do for you, Jack?" Sharon asked, trying to stand in the small hallway as far from the kitchen area. Unfortunately for Sharon, Emily's apartment was of the open concept variety, and except for her bedroom and bathroom area, there wasn't much privacy.

Sharon could see Emily and Andy's heads snap up at the mention of Jack, through the corner of her eye. Jack always had the worst timing. He'd tried calling while she was at the checkout and the night before too when she was settling her bill at the bar. The last thing she wanted was for Jack to call back when she was at the play, so it was easier to deal with him now.

As much as Sharon wanted to not take this call in front of Emily and Andy, she tried to get to the point quickly.

"Ahh, Shar-on," Jack started in on her, "I stopped by the condo the other day, and you weren't home. So, I tried work, and they said you had a family emergency. I sent a text to Ricky, and he just replied to say Emily had hurt herself and was in the hospital."

"That's right, Jack," Sharon said, nodding, trying to keep the conversation to a minimum. She could feel Andy and Emily staring through her back.

"Is she okay? What happened?" he asked.

Sharon sighed, "She's going to be fine, Jack. She slipped and broke her arm, but it needed surgery. She just got out of the hospital."

"Ah, well, back to your happy little family, then, I assume?" he asked.

"Hardly, Jack; you know that," Sharon snapped. Jack was well aware of the mess that had unfolded from his drunken revelation over a year ago.

"Well, can I talk to her? Will you at least put her on the phone?" he asked.

"Jack," Sharon shook her head, "why do you care?"

"I raised her, Sharon!" Jack bellowed.

Sharon let out a pitiful laugh, "I wouldn't call it that, but I'm not going to argue that point right now," she said turning and walking down the short hallway toward Emily.

Sharon held the phone out to Emily, "Your dad, err, Jack, would like to speak to you. He heard about your accident."

Emily's eyes got wide, and Sharon could see Andy sigh and drop his head as Sharon handed Emily the phone, "Hello," she said.

Emily's quick chat with Jack was not much more than a few words. Sharon stood nearby because Emily did have her phone, and she knew the conversation wouldn't last long. The end of the conversation left things a little awkward.

"I'm fine, Dad, really," Emily said, not noting that Andy's head had snapped up when Emily had called Jack dad too. Sharon knew that while Emily now had really two dads, it wasn't an easy thing for the one who was trying to hear her call the deadbeat that same title.

Emily finished the call and handed the phone back to Sharon, Here," she offered. "He told me I should have called him."

"Hmm," Sharon nodded, "maybe you should have; you are an adult. You should have called me too, but, I'm not going to get into that. I'm going to head out if you two have everything now," Sharon said, offering that as more of a statement than a question. "I'll stop by in the morning before I head to the airport. Andy, I'll say goodbye now, and I guess I will see you at work sometime," Sharon offered, moving to the door. She really didn't want to give either of them time to say anything further. This was part of the taking back of her own life she needed. She needed to feel in control again. "Have a good night," she offered, closing the door and taking a deep breath. She intended to have a good night herself.


	12. Chapter 12

Sharon enjoyed her evening. She didn't mind going to the play alone, and she was certainly used to eating alone. She slept well, for once, and she woke up with a better attitude than she had in months. It felt good.

She took her time packing up; she had a late afternoon flight, and it would be a long day of travel. She would get in close to 9:00 PM and then with getting home and all, she knew she would be ready to fall into her own bed. Compound that with the realization it was back to work in the morning, and well, she saw no need to rush.

Andy had the noon flight, and by her calculations, she expected he would stop by and see Emily first thing this morning. She didn't want to get there much before lunch to make sure and completely avoid Andy. She suspected he would be at the airport around 10, but she wasn't going to chance it. Instead, as she glanced out her hotel room and caught sight of a church steeple, she decided to find a Sunday morning Mass. She would have time for that, and then she could return to the hotel, check out, and be on her way.

Sharon felt much better after attending Mass; she always did, and finally, she felt like she was digging out of her misery. She'd done a lot of praying, and she knew, above all, it was in God's hands.

As she arrived at Emily's apartment, she said another quick prayer that she could get through this lunch with her daughter without major ordeal. She was down to her last few hours in New York and didn't want to leave with a screaming match.

It was a bit of a hassle, lugging her luggage up the stairs while balancing lunch, but she managed. She knocked quietly on Emily's door.

"I brought lunch," Sharon offered, holding out the pizza box, as both lunch and a peace offering. "I couldn't come to New York and not have a New York pizza," she continued.

"Mom," Emily sighed as she stepped aside so Sharon could enter with all her things. "You know I'm trying to watch my weight for dance.

Sharon shrugged, "Yes, well, I'm not, and I happen to know pizza is your favorite food. You rarely eat it; a slice or two at lunch isn't going to be the end of everything. Honestly, you look fantastic as you are. I'm going to eat it. If you don't want it, eat something I picked up at the store."

As Sharon moved through the apartment, she noted a pretty, small bouquet of flowers. "Where did you get the flowers?" she asked, not sure if Andy or Angela had gotten them.

"Dad," Emily admitted. Sharon nodded, suspecting just that. "I mean, Jack," she corrected herself.

Sharon spun around; she wasn't expecting to hear that. "Jack sent you those flowers?"

Emily nodded, "Yeah, he feels badly about everything. He's left me messages saying that before. I guess he is trying with the flowers."

"Hmm," Sharon nodded, clearing her throat. "Well, I'm surprised. I don't think Jack ever sent me flowers. I'm glad he's reaching out, but I'm surprised at the double standard. You've mentioned he feels badly about everything-so do I, yet you are ready to welcome him with open arms, the man who willingly said he would raise you and then left us all. You've shut me out, the mother who has been there, trying to protect you along the way. I'm sorry," she put her hands up. "Now, pizza doesn't sound that great. I think I'll just head to the airport. I do need to catch my flight."

"Mom, it's not the same," Emily started to say.

Sharon snapped her head up, "You're right," she said, as she grabbed her bag. "I'm sure you've analyzed it and have your reasons it's not the same, your reasons for forgiving Jack and not me. I'll leave you to those reasons. Emily, I love you, and I will always love you, but I'm done being punished. Be safe. I'm always here for you if you need me, but right now, I need to go."

Sharon squeezed Emily's hand as Emily stood there thinking about what had been said. Sharon left before she broke down. Emily was even willing to forgive Jack for his part, but still, not Sharon. Yes, Sharon needed to get back to LA and start over.

After leaving Emily's place rather abruptly, Sharon had plenty of time at the airport to collect herself. She also found herself needing lunch since she'd left the uneaten pizza at Emily's place. She should have taken it with her; her ungrateful daughter didn't seem to want it, and she really had been craving a good slice of pizza. She decided that once she got checked in, she would find a piece of pizza. For healthy eating Sharon, once she got an idea of junk food, she needed to fulfill the craving, and right now, she wanted New York pizza.

She spent the afternoon wandering the airport, killing time. She even momentarily wished she'd been on an earlier flight, but then she corrected that thought. Andy was on the earlier flight, and she definitely didn't need more drama.

Her gate was full; it looked like a really full fight, and even the screen said the standby list was full. Just lovely, a lot of people, crowded into a small space. Sharon was hopeful she could get on the flight and sleep like she had on the way there.

Her seat luck ended on the return flight, she noted, as she boarded the plane. She'd gotten a middle seat this time, with the man in the aisle already in her row. After climbing over him, she settled in, praying she didn't have an annoying neighbor on either side. She closed her eyes, hoping to sleep through takeoff like she had before.

She was almost asleep when she felt the guy next to her stand up, probably a sign the other passenger was there to be seated. Sharon sighed and opened her eyes to shift in her seat.

"You have to be kidding me," Sharon said, a bit too loudly, as she glared at the men in front of her. The gentleman who had the aisle seat looked back at her with a surprised stare, a disbelief she would be so rude to someone getting to their seat.

"Why hello to you too," he mumbled. "What are the odds?"

"You two know each other?" the guy in the aisle asked.

"Just move over; I'll take the middle," he said to Sharon, turning to the guy in the aisle seat, who was standing to allow room. "We have a daughter," ending the "know each other?" type of comment. The guy in the aisle nodded.

"Ahh, I have an ex too. Should I be worried you two sitting next to each other?" he joked.

Sharon was moving toward the window, and Andy moved in and sat in the middle seat. Sharon, now visibly irritated, turned to Andy, "You were supposed to be on the noon flight. Why are you on my flight?"

"Cancelled," he mumbled. "The incoming aircraft got delayed so long, they ended up canceling the flight. I saw the writing on the wall right away and asked to get on standby for this flight. I was one of the lucky ones. The standby list filled up, but thank goodness I got a seat."

"Yes," Sharon nodded, "just our good luck. How in the world did your seat end up next to me?"

"Hey," he held up his hand, "I had nothing to do with that. I knew you were on the flight; I didn't setup anything with the seats."

"Well, I'm going to try and sleep," Sharon said, as she snuggled into her seat and now laid her head against the window.

"How was Emily when you left?" he asked, knowing it would irritate her since she was trying to sleep.

Sharon didn't open her eyes or even turn toward him, "Didn't stay. I'm fascinated she wants to forgive Jack, but has no compassion for me. I'm done talking, Andy," she said, closing her eyes. Andy shook his head, and he leaned back too, intent on getting some rest. He hadn't slept well the whole trip.

By some miracle, Sharon was able to sleep and not have to interact with Andy for a couple hours of the flight. She woke up, so thankful for that break. She had needed it. The sleep was great, but the break from Andy was even better. She almost didn't want to turn his way and alert him she was awake, but she gingerly turned her head. She took a sigh of relief when she noted he was asleep. Peace for at least a little while longer.

"He fell asleep about a half hour ago," their seatmate offered. "Must be rough flying with an ex," he gave a reassuring smile.

"Challenging," Sharon only offered and then said, "thanks."

She leaned back, head slightly turned looking at Andy. When he was sleeping, she didn't see the anger; she missed that look. For the last year, she'd mostly only seen the anger. She almost chuckled; he was sleeping hard, and she remembered seeing him just like this on many occasions on her couch when they would watch a movie. His head was back against the seat, mouth open, and he was snoring lightly. It used to warm her heart, and now, she just saw all the heartache. She sighed, leaning back and closing her eyes again. She might not sleep anymore, but she didn't have to let the rest of her aisle know that.

Sharon could tell when Andy woke up from his nap. She felt his arm moving around, and after a few minutes, she opened her eyes too. She tried not to glance his way, but instead look out the window. She heard him wince as he shifted.

"What's wrong?" she asked, noting his face was giving a painful look.

"I'm fine," he grumbled. "Every now and then, that stab would reminds me it is there."

"Does Chief Johnson know it's still bothering you?" she asked.

"No," he said sharply. "I was cleared for duty. I'm fine. It's nothing serious, and I kind of think it's like having a bad break. People who have had a bad break complain about the bone aching after that. This hurts too. A guy put a knife into my side, and it's going to hurt. I'm fine," he raised his hand to hopefully end the conversation.

"Okay," Sharon shrugged and sighed as they drifted back into silence.

"Stab wound?" their nosy seatmate, asked, overhearing them.

"We're detectives," Andy offered, dropping any further discussion.

"And, you have to work together?" the guy chuckled.

"Yeah, it's a real blast, pal," Andy said rolling his eyes. Thankfully, further discussion as interrupted when the pilot announced they were making their approach.

"Oh, thank goodness," Sharon said. "I'm so ready to get off this plane."

"Five hours of fun," Andy grumbled.

Another 40 minutes later, the two found themselves walking into the airport terminal. "Not that this hasn't been a spectacular trip, but I'm ready to get to my car and get home," Sharon said as they walked through the airport security area.

"You and me both," Andy said. "Just not the car part."

"Oh, please don't tell me you need a ride," Sharon sighed, exasperated.

"No," he said, as they walked to the exit. He had been typing out a message. "Provenza is picking me up. He dropped me off too. Had to listen to the old guy complain all the way about being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night."

Sharon stopped and looked to Andy, "I'm guessing Provenza knows everything then?"

"Of course, he does," Andy said, irritated. "Ironic you want me to keep a secret!"

Sharon just shook her head, "Andy, I didn't say that at all. I expected you would tell him. I'm relieved a bit, although I hate that he knows our soap opera saga. I know you tell him everything. I've wondered for quite awhile if he knew everything, and that answers my question. No, I've caught him just looking at me for several months, almost like he's trying to figure me out."

"He knows everything, Sharon," Andy said.

"Okay," Sharon said, as they walked outside, hit by the warmer Los Angeles air. A honking horn caused both to look nearby.

"Provenza," Andy said. "My ride is here. You have your car?" he asked.

Provenza pulled up to the curb, and he rolled down the window as Andy opened the back door to throw his bag in, "Hurry up, Flynn! I hate the airport traffic. People are nuts. Captain," he nodded to Sharon.

"Lieutenant," Sharon nodded back. She'd thought the last few days were awkward; this was even worse. "I'll see you both at work. Goodnight," she added, moving quickly and crossing in front of Provenza's car to head to the parking garage. She didn't let out a breath until she was out of sight of their cars, shaking her head at her run of luck over the last few days. Yes, indeed, she was ready to put all this behind her.


	13. Chapter 13

"Ricky, you really picked a dating website called 'Lookin' Good LA' for me to use?" Sharon groaned as she sat at her desk in her condo video chatting with her son.

"Mom, I did my research. Leave that to the computer guy. This one has the best reviews and the highest stats for your age group," he explained.

"You mean the old people dating group," Sharon groaned again. "I don't know if I can do this."

"Trust me, Mom. You'll be just fine. I'm not creating a weird dating profile for you. I'm not making you out to be a crazy person or anything. I want you to find a nice guy more than anyone," he said.

"I'm still not sure. It makes me so nervous, and what if I get someone with a criminal record?" she asked, now terrified.

"Mom, it will be fine. You can turn down any requests that look suspicious; you don't have to date any of the guys. If you are strictly looking for professionals, you can weed guys out that way. Meet in public places first like a coffee shop so that if it's a bust, you can always leave easily. Have someone who can call you to get you out of a bad situation. I can do that if needed," he grinned.

"I can't believe I'm asking my 23-year-old son for dating advice," Sharon threw her head down on her computer, and Ricky chuckled as she groaned.

"Yeah, because I'm just a chick magnet here," he added.

"You will find the right girl at the right time," Sharon smiled, sitting up. "I guess I'm still waiting for that at my age."

"Okay, so you looked over what I typed up for you. Ready for me to have it go live on the site?" he asked.

"Are you sure you like this picture of me with my prescription sunglasses on?" she questioned, tilting her head, analyzing the picture he had selected.

"Yeah, I like it best. Leaves a little mystery and intrigue. Guys will want to see your eyes, and they can't with the sunglasses. I think it is the right picture," he told her.

"Swear you haven't told Emily about this right now. I can't take her making fun of me too," she asked.

"I haven't told Emily anything, but if she asks me if you are dating-" he trailed off.

"Fine," Sharon waved her hand, "I don't want you to lie to her, but let's not make my using a dating website a huge topic of conversation."

"I can handle that, Mom," he grinned. "Okay, I'll get your profile online, and I'll send you all your login information. Then, as you get alerts, you can check on things. If any guy looks interesting, you can chat back and forth to see if you want to go on a date, but like I said, keep it simple first, like tea or coffee."

"Will do," Sharon noted. "Thank you, Sweetheart," she smiled.

"Good luck, Mom. I'll chat later," he said.

Sharon had setup that profile in late January, or rather, Ricky had set it up for her. She'd gotten cold feet after getting home from New York, but after a week of stressing about it, Ricky had convinced her to try it. He'd told her she really had nothing to lose; if she didn't see a guy she liked, she didn't have date any of them.

It was now the end of April, and she'd been on two dates. Yes, two dates in three months wasn't a great track record, but she had discovered she was really picky, maybe too picky. To make matters worse, neither date had been anything great, and she was very glad for the advice Ricky had given her about meeting up for coffee or tea first. Both guys she'd met had been really dull. One was so dull, Sharon couldn't even explain what he'd said. She'd lost interest a few minutes into the conversation as he explained all about the banking world. Sharon was a bit irritated with her two strike outs, but she had another date this coming weekend and had high hopes for him.

Ben was already at the café when Sharon arrived, and right away, she liked his smile. They ended up hitting it off pretty well, smiling and laughing well past the 30 minutes Sharon had expected to stay and talk.

"Would you like to go out with me next week?" he asked, when they finally did get up to leave.

"I would like that, yes," Sharon smiled.

"Well, this might sound like an odd first date, but how do you feel about baseball?" he asked, making a slight grimace, as he awaited her response.

Sharon covered her mouth as she laughed, "I actually love baseball. It did start with my son playing it all the way through school. I was a baseball mom for a long time."

"Really?" Ben asked, now a big smile on his face again. Sharon liked that smile. "Now, this could be the deal breaker. I'm a huge Giants fan. My sister got me two tickets for the game next week as a birthday present for me about a month ago. She told me to take a friend. So, would you like to go?"

"The Giants, really?" Sharon asked, intrigued. "In this town?"

"Oh, yeah, I should have mentioned that. They are playing the Dodgers. Hate them. Lifelong Giants fan because I grew up outside of San Francisco. I'm just a transplant down here, but if that's a deal breaker," he grinned.

"No, no," Sharon held up her hand, touching his arm. "I would love to go to the game. I really enjoy Major League Baseball, but I've always been a Dodger fan," she admitted shyly.

"Oh, well, that could be my deal breaker," he grinned as he flirted with her. "So, it's a date? Tickets are for next Friday evening's game."

"It's a date," Sharon smiled warmly.

"Great, I'll contact you this week with the details," he said.

With her date setup, Sharon's week passed quickly. She found herself enjoying work more knowing that, for once, she had great weekend plans. Sharon hadn't even spent a great deal of time with Major Crimes recently, but she knew that luck was about to change. There were grumblings about the Baylor lawsuit. The department lawyers had been trying to quash that mess, but it was looking like it was going to turn into a full-blown lawsuit. Sharon knew if that happened, she would be spending more and more time with Major Crimes, and that also meant she'd see more and more of Andy. The two had managed to avoid each other for the most part, and their brief encounters had been civil. Provenza had even said hello to her in the hall, which she was chalking up more to his curiosity at the whole situation than anything else. It was odd, but work was going along somewhat smoothly.

Emily hadn't said much, but again, Sharon wasn't surprised. What had surprised her was that for Sharon's birthday, the week before, Emily had sent her a small floral arrangement. The card simply said, "Happy Birthday," and the florist had just listed Emily's name under the card, but that had been it. Ricky had called her and sent her a gift in the mail. She had ended up working through most of her birthday, stuck in a 72-hour reporting cycle. Her department had left her a cake and a box of her favorite chocolates on her desk. It wasn't her best birthday, but she also knew it could have been much worse.

Now, it was finally the weekend, the end of the month. She was hoping that maybe this date would be the start of a new leaf on life, a fresh start. May-she always thought of the month of May as sunny and cheerful, so she was hoping those thoughts would carry into her date.

She had decided to meet Ben at the game. Yes, it made it more chaotic for her, but she wasn't comfortable yet with him just knowing where she lived and swinging by her condo. She hadn't dated much, really at all, and guys didn't just stop by. Andy and Jack were the only guys who had been to the condo, besides Ricky of course, and she wasn't too excited to jump to that yet. She also knew that after the game it would be less awkward, no matter how things went, if she could just return to her car and wasn't left standing on her front doorstep.

"Ben, hi," Sharon smiled, walking up and giving him a quick hug. Ben was about Sharon's height, so she didn't have to stretch. In fact, as she thought about that, her mind drifted to her heels. If the two ever went out to a fancy restaurant or really, who was Sharon kidding, anywhere she could wear heels, she would be taller than he was.

"Oh, you weren't kidding when you said you were a Dodger fan," he chuckled, laughing at her jersey and old hat.

"No, I really wasn't," she said blushing. "I've gone to games quite a bit over the years with family and friends. I could say the same about you with the Giant gear," she eyed him.

He shrugged, "True, but the new shirt is part of my sister's birthday present along with the tickets. By the way, she was delighted when I said I was taking a date to the game."

"Oh, gosh," Sharon gushed, "now I have to live up to some expectations," she grinned as she patted his arm.

The two made their way into the game and found their seats. Sharon learned Ben was a big junk food junkie at sporting events, enjoying hotdogs, nachos, and ice cream.

"While all that looks delicious, I'm almost sick to my stomach thinking of eating that all," she smiled. "I'll just go with a hotdog and a soda."

They settled into their seats, and Ben decided to ask a question he'd been wondering. "So, tell me why do you need to use a dating website? Take me, for example," he said, "slightly overweight, shorter, and I wear glasses," he grimaced. "Not much of a package here. Now, you," he smiled. "I'm just surprised you need a website."

Sharon laughed, as she blushed, "You are too kind," she patted his knee. "My son signed me up, so if there's anything worse than a dating website, it's your 23-year-old son setting it up for you. I'm just trying to be happy. I've lived my life and not had someone who has made me happy. I've had a lot of disappointments. And, you sell yourself short; you are kind, funny, and so enjoyable; I'm glad to be here with you."

The game was into the sixth inning, when Sharon noticed just how much she was enjoying herself. She'd laughed and talked through most of the game, not that the game itself wasn't good; it was a great game, but Ben was fun and easy to talk to, something she had missed, talking to another adult who just wanted to enjoy your company.

"Can I get you anything else to eat or drink?" Ben asked, after the third batter in a row had struck out.

"You know, I am just fine, but I do think I will use the restroom," Sharon said, standing up. Ben stood too.

"I'll walk down with you because I could really use a water," he stated.

"Oh, I can get you one if you want to stay and watch the game," Sharon offered.

"No, it's fine," he smiled. "I might have had too much junk food."

Sharon's laughter could not be contained, and she quickly found herself trying to contain her snort laugh. "Oh, I'm sorry," she continued to laugh, as she covered her mouth. "I shouldn't be laughing at your misery, but it is rather comical. Neither of us are 20 anymore. Here," she said, as she dug a bottle out of her purse, "I carry antacids with me. They come in handy," she said, dumping some in his hand.

"Thanks," he said, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. "I'll still take that water."

The line for food and drinks was longer than the one for the restroom, and Sharon met up with Ben while he was still waiting to order his water. "Sure I can't get you anything?" he asked.

"A water does sound good; thank you," Sharon offered him a smile, and they made small talk as they waited in line.

"Captain?" she heard, closing her eyes at the sound of the voice. She groaned as she turned. Ben quickly turned too, hearing the title.

"Lieutenant," Sharon nodded. "I don't need to ask what you are doing here," she offered a polite smile.

"Well, currently, I'm sulking in my misery. Dodgers down 6-2. We are running out of time to win this one."

"Ahh, yes," Sharon said, noting Ben was by her side. "Lieutenant, this is my friend, Ben, and he's obviously very happy with the score."

Provenza shook his head, "Always like the dark side, don't you Captain," he sighed. "Look, I came with my grandson, and I should go. He'll be looking for me at the bar area if I don't head back soon. See you around, Captain," he nodded, walking away.

"Captain, huh?" Ben grinned, smiling at Sharon.

She rolled her eyes, "It's just a job. That was Lieutenant Provenza. I work with him and his division quite a bit. His boss is knee deep in a mess, and I've got to start digging the whole division out of it."

"Wow, sounds pretty important, and obviously, you outrank him?" Ben asked.

Sharon shrugged bashfully, "Yes, I outrank most of the LAPD," she shrugged, but it's just a job.

The rest of the date went smoothly, and before it could get awkward, Sharon stopped Ben near the entrance to the stadium. "I had a wonderful time," she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm going to get going, though."

"I had a great time too," he returned the smile. "Would you maybe like to go out again?" he asked.

"I would," Sharon nodded. "Call me this week. I'm working next weekend, but we can figure something out I hope."

"We'll figure something out, definitely," he added. "Maybe before the weekend?"

Sharon nodded, "I'll talk to you soon."


	14. Chapter 14

Sharon's second date with Ben went well, although short-lived. They agreed to dinner at a restaurant close to work. Ben worked downtown too, in the city planner's office, and although they had to squeeze it in between a working case, Sharon was glad she made the effort. She had caught a case that morning and when she'd sent Ben a text explaining that she had to work now, he had simply replied that she needed to eat as well. So, without any fancy clothing, just her work attire, she met him for a quick dinner. She did have to eat, but she also had to work. That had been Thursday, and then she worked through the weekend. He'd asked her at their dinner date if she would accompany him to a fundraiser he'd gotten roped into going through his work colleagues. It was the following weekend, a bit short notice, but Sharon said she'd be happy to go with him. The two were still trying to get a read on each other, so things were a bit awkward still, but Sharon was happy to be doing things out of the office.

She hadn't kissed Ben yet; the quick dinner during her case didn't seem to be the right moment. She was still hesitating and could tell he wanted to kiss her. She wasn't there yet, but she felt part of that was due to work. Maybe when they went to this fundraiser the following weekend, things would feel right.

Luckily for Sharon, she had a dress that would be just right for this fundraiser. Ben had said it was a black-tie affair, and she'd been to several of those events herself over the years. He'd never seen any of her dresses, so Sunday evening, after working all day, she stood in her closet flipping through dresses to find just the right one. She settled on a deep purple one, just off the shoulder with a straight cut that flared a bit at the bottom. Sharon hadn't worn it now in a couple of years, but it still fit her perfectly. Simple, elegant, classy, and it wasn't too much for a guy she was just getting to know. The only downside was work. Ben needed to pick her up by 5:00 to get to the event; they both knew traffic would be bad, and it was the opposite way from her condo, but it was much closer to work. So, even though it went against everything she wanted, she agreed he could pick her up at work on Friday. With that planned, she was going to try and send her own division home early that afternoon, knowing they'd jump at the chance, and they wouldn't be lurking around while she got ready for this fundraiser. With everything all ready for the week, Sharon made her way to bed, already looking forward to Friday night.

Monday morning, Sharon found herself being summoned to Chief Pope's office. Things were heating up with Major Crimes and the lawsuit, and he wanted her to stay closer to them, just what Sharon didn't want. She'd tried to suggest one of her best detectives, but Pope wasn't hearing it; he wanted Sharon in charge.

Sharon made her way to Major Crimes after meeting with Pope. She needed to speak to Chief Johnson and setup a time for a formal meeting. Sharon hadn't been in the division's area for a couple of weeks, which had been fine with her, and she hadn't seen Andy in even longer. Her last visit, he was out picking up a witness, so she'd dodged seeing him. She was hoping for the same now. Ever since they'd gotten back from New York a few months ago, they hadn't screamed, but things hadn't gone well either. Sharon was curious how Emily would be the coming weekend. It was Mother's Day, and while Sharon didn't expect anything, she hoped Emily might call her. She pulled herself out of her thoughts, took a deep breath, and she opened the door to find Chief Johnson.

"Ahh, Captain, didn't hear your broom land" Provenza greeted her with a smirk, and she turned to him. She could feel all the eyes in the division shift her way after Provenza made mention she was there. She chose to ignore his broom comment; she was aware of the different nicknames they had for her.

"Lieutenant," she nodded. "I need to speak to Chief Johnson."

"She's not here right now. Her parents are in town, flew in from Atlanta again-Mother's Day coming up, you know-and she should be in tomorrow. She took off today," Provenza explained to her.

"Okay," Sharon drew the word out as she processed it. "Perhaps I will email her then. Your lucky day, Lieutenant; you don't need to watch my broom while I park it here to meet with her." Sharon heard a couple of people start to laugh at her comment to Provenza. By the sound of the laughter, she guessed one was Julio, one was Tao, and the third laugh was unmistakable, yet, she didn't want to even look his way. Instead, she crossed her arms, throwing a smile at Provenza.

"Next time I'm in trouble with FID, you'll have to show me where you park it up there," he said, flipping through a stack of papers on his desk, paying her no attention. He continued without looking up, "They must have special broom parking at the ballfield too."

Sharon narrowed her glare at Provenza; she didn't think he would dare to bring up running into her at the baseball game, but he'd certainly dropped a few hints.

"They do," Sharon gave him a fake smile and refused to back down, "but with so many failed attempts to get to a game, I'm sure you haven't noticed the broom parking. Now, if you would all excuse me. Gentleman," she gave a quick nod, not making eye contact with anyone, certainly not Andy. She turned, and as she walked away, her heels clicked on the floor, the sound of power she loved. Provenza still got the last word in, speaking loudly enough she could hear him down the hall.

"Captain, I'm sure whatever you need from Chief Johnson, she'll be able to 'play ball' with you." Sharon, now out of sight, closed her eyes, irritated that she'd even run into Provenza at the game. She had a pretty good idea Provenza had passed that information along to another certain person, but really, it was no one's business.

The week progressed, and like anyone excited about anything, it seemed to drag on and on and on. Finally, it was Friday, and Sharon had sent her team home by 3:00. They'd worked over eight days straight, so they were more than due a couple hours off on a Friday afternoon. She took advantage of her empty floor to get ready for the fundraiser. Ben had texted her a few times that day; she could tell he was nervous about picking her up at work, and he wanted to get everything right. She assured him it would be easy to get upstairs. He really wanted to see where she worked, and like anyone else who had not spent a great deal of time in the building, he was unsure of what to expect.

Promptly at 5:00, he sent her a text that he was in the elevator, heading up to her floor. She was just about to turn off her lights to head, when her phone rang. She almost didn't answer it, but it was her office phone, and more than likely, whoever was calling her would start in on her cell phone next.

"Captain Raydor," she said into the phone. Quickly, she could tell that she was needed for something. After doing a bit of bargaining with Chief Pope, she agreed to drop off her weekly findings to him on her way out of the building. She had planned to email him the information Monday morning, but he had said he wanted to read through the lawsuit's latest update over the weekend.

"You look beautiful," Ben smiled at her as he got off the elevator. Sharon squeezed his arm and kissed him on the cheek to avoid any workplace awkwardness.

"Thank you," Sharon smiled. "Welcome to my floor."

"This is all your floor?" he asked.

She nodded, "Yes, I'm in charge, and this would most likely be considered the most hated floor of the LAPD. Most people think nothing good comes from this floor," she smiled, looping her arm in his to walk him around. "Now, I sent my division home early because they've worked eight days straight, so it's extremely quiet up here, but I'll show you my office."

Sharon took Ben around the floor, and the two seemed to relax even more and they talked and laughed about several things. When they had reached the elevator again, Ben asked, "Ready to go?"

"I am," she frowned, "but my boss needs some paperwork before I leave. So, we just need to go down a couple floors, and I'll run these into his office."

"That's no problem," Ben smiled, and once Sharon had retrieved the paperwork, they got in the elevator and started their descent. "That really is a gorgeous dress on you. I don't think anyone there will believe you worked all day."

Sharon chuckled, "Thank you. Let's not forget that I got changed in the hallway restroom and did my hair there."

"Well, your hair, all swept to the one side like that, it looks really nice with your dress," he stated.

The elevator opened, and Sharon guided Ben with her toward Pope's office. She showed him where he could wait in the hall, and then she went directly to Pope's door and knocked before entering.

"Ah, wow, Captain Raydor, is there some police event tonight?" he said, extremely surprised to see Sharon before him in formal attire.

"No," she shook her head, handing him the requested paperwork. "Fundraiser with a friend," she explained. "Do you need anything else?" she asked, hand on hip. Pope chuckled that even in a formal gown she hadn't dropped her tough lady approach.

"No, nothing tonight. Have a nice evening, and I will speak with you and Chief Johnson on Monday," he said.

Sharon nodded and left, noting Ben was looking at a lot of the plaques on the wall. They adorned most of the hallway, so she walked up to the one he was currently examining.

"Ahh, fallen officers," Sharon sighed. "Always sad even when it's part of the job," she shook her head.

"Yes, it's really sad to see. I saw you in a couple of pictures back down the hall that way," he nodded. Sharon nodded too.

"As I said, I'm well known here, not always for good," she smiled. "Ready to go?" Sharon was more than ready to go. They were all too close to a certain division she really didn't want to see, even if they were most likely gone for the evening too. She'd been with them all week and knew they'd worked some long hours too.

Ben nodded, and the two made their way to the elevator, Sharon breathing a sigh of relief that they hadn't had to run into anyone. Even Pope had been decent. They waited, and when the elevator arrived, Sharon's luck ran out.

"I don't care what you say, Flynn. You are buying me beer and watching me drink. I had to come all the way back up here to get your keys, so that's the deal. Who goes to their car and forgets their keys?" Sharon distinctly heard Provenza ask as the door opened. Knowing the two of them, they'd probably been arguing about Andy's keys the whole ride up in the elevator.

"Sharon?" she heard, at the same time she heard, "Captain?" Sharon had hoped to avoid seeing anyone from the division, especially the two currently in front of her.

"Gentlemen," she nodded, forcing a smile to her face. Ben stepped out of the way so Andy and Provenza could get off the elevator.

"Captain, did I miss the memo on a change in dress code?" Provenza asked. Sharon wanted to roll her eyes, but she heard Ben laugh and suddenly, she realized that she would have to introduce him. Otherwise, it would be rude.

"Perhaps a better question, Lieutenant, might be where I have my gun?" Sharon teased. She hoped that would shut up both men, and it certainly would make them wonder. She did have it on her; they could imagine where.

"Ahh, ahh," Provenza stammered, but Andy brushed right past the comment, "Going somewhere, Sharon?" he said crisply.

Sharon nodded, "Yes, Lieutenant Provenza, Andy, err, Lieutenant Flynn, this is my friend, Ben. He works over in the city planner's office, and we are on our way to a fundraiser," she explained. "Ben, Major Crimes," she nodded to both Andy and Provenza. "That is the division I spend so much of my time with these days."

"Ahh, nice to meet you both," Ben stuck out his hand. Andy and Provenza both were dumbfounded, for different reasons. Andy was sizing up this guy, while Provenza was stuck on the gun comment. They snapped out of it to be polite enough to greet Ben. "Lieutenant Provenza, is it? I believe we briefly met before," Ben added and Provenza just nodded. Before Provenza could say anything else, Sharon decided to put an end to this chat.

"We are running late, so we do need to go," Sharon nodded to the men, and Ben nodded in agreement with Sharon. They'd missed the elevator now, so she pushed the button again. Andy and Provenza moved past Ben once they had greeted him, and Sharon turned her attention away from the men and back to Ben, "Night, gentlemen," she threw her hand over her shoulder in a dismissive manner. She could feel their eyes staring her down from behind. The elevator finally arrived, and she felt Ben put his hand on her back to escort her into the elevator, completely sure that both Andy and Provenza had watched the whole scene. Her attempt to get out of the building unscathed had failed; she'd run into the two people she had hoped to not see.

Luckily for Sharon, she was the real winner. She had a lovely evening ahead with a charming man. She wasn't stuck in the past. She was moving forward.


	15. Chapter 15

**Thank you for the reviews! Glad some of you found the most recent updates. Fanfiction hasn't been sending out story update alerts for many of the stories. So, thanks to the faithful who are still here! Hope you enjoy Sharon's continued dating venture...**

* * *

"So, those detectives in the elevator, the lieutenants," Ben asked, "you work with them a lot? The shorter guy I know we ran into him before, at the game."

Sharon nodded as they were driving across town to the fundraiser. It wasn't that far from work, but with Friday afternoon LA traffic, they were banking on at least an hour in the car. "Yes," she clasped her hands. "I work with them both a lot. They are the second and third in command in Major Crimes, the division I'm glued to at the moment."

Ben nodded as he continued to drive, "The one guy-you called him Andy and corrected yourself?" Ben stated in the form of a question letting that hang in the air. Sharon took a deep breath. She played with the fabric on her dress and continued to look down.

"Yes, Andy," she sighed. "I mentioned to you that my past was a bit complicated, and he's part of it."

"Oh, your ex-husband?" he asked.

Sharon pursed her lips, "No," she sighed, shaking her head. "He's not my ex-husband, but he is the father of my daughter."

"Oh," Ben said with quite the surprise, glancing at Sharon. "That sounds like a mess then."

"Yes," Sharon offered a small smile. "Do you mind if we don't talk about it now? At least tonight?" she asked.

"Sure, sorry to pry," he offered.

"No," she shook her head. "It's okay. He's part of the story, and I have to admit my mistakes. I love my daughter, both of my kids, but it was messy."

"Well," he offered a small smile, "we can focus on this evening and how lovely you look."

"Thank you," she said, releasing her deep breath. She hoped the evening was enjoyable.

The evening was eye-opening, but not necessarily enjoyable. Ben was kind, but Sharon didn't like that he seemed to be a very different person around his friends. He drank a lot, something she didn't appreciate from past experiences. All in all, she wasn't sure he was someone she wanted to continue dating. At one point in the evening, he'd taken her outside for a breath of fresh air. Sharon could tell he wanted to kiss her, but something was irking her. She didn't know what it was, if it was her instinct or some other reason, but she didn't want to kiss him at the moment.

"I'm sorry," she shook her head and looked up at him as she continued, "it's been a long week. I'm afraid I'm a bad date."

"No," he sloshed his drink. He wasn't drunk, but she just didn't want a first kiss with a man to be one where he'd had that much to drink. He tried to lean in, but she quickly touched his arm. "I'm going to go to the restroom. It's a bit chilly outside here."

He nodded, and she made her way back inside. When she emerged from the restroom, she saw him across the room chatting it up with his friends. He was a nice man, but he wasn't the man for her. Luckily, Sharon ran into a few people she knew through work and could socialize herself. But, quickly, she was ready to go home, and she really just didn't want to continue her date with Ben.

"I'm going to head home," she touched his arm again. "You stay. I really am tired, and I've called a cab to take me back to my car."

"I can drive you," he offered, giving her a surprised look.

"No, stay," she said. "I've had a good time, but I think we are just not clicking," Sharon shrugged.

"Oh," he frowned. "Well, okay. Thanks for being honest," he nodded.

"Thank you for a few nice outings," she smiled and after he walked her to the cab, she let out her breath. She was okay. This guy was a good starting point for her. She'd gone out a few times, enjoyed herself, and she'd keep looking. All she wanted to do for the evening was crawl in bed with a good book. She'd get back on Ricky's dating website tomorrow and try again.

Sharon's weekend passed quickly, and it was both enjoyable and relaxing. She wasn't upset about her outing with Ben; it had just confirmed to her that dating of any kind was a process. She stuck to her plan, spending some of Saturday replying to a couple of date requests. She'd spent several hours going through profiles before selecting two she was willing to meet for coffee during the following week.

Sunday, Mother's Day, she was surprised with a video chat from Ricky when she got home from Mass. She had just changed her clothing and settled in for a lazy afternoon with a couple of movies.

"Happy Mother's Day, Mom," Ricky smiled, Sharon glad to see him, even if it was over a computer screen.

"Ricky" Sharon smiled. "Thank you. It's good to see you."

"Oh, wait," he said, and Sharon saw her screen doing something, and suddenly, both of her kids appeared on the screen. "I've added Emily in for a group chat," he explained.

"Happy Mother's Day," Emily shrugged.

"Emily," Sharon offered a wide smile. "Both of my kids, the reason I am a mom," she shook her head, tearing up seeing both of her kids on the screen. Ricky might have forced Emily into the chat, but at least Emily had agreed to it.

"What's this I hear about you dating some guy?" Emily jumped right in. Sharon almost jumped in her seat. Emily had barely spoken to her over the last year, and suddenly, she was grilling Sharon about dating. Sharon raised her eye at Ricky.

"She asked if you were working this weekend, and I said you'd had a date," he raised his hand. "Sorry, but it's true."

"A dating website, Mom? Really?" she asked.

Sharon nodded, "Yes, you are right. I did have a date, and I am using a dating website. I went on a couple of dates with a guy," she offered, "and for now, that's all I'm going to say."

"So, you're dating now?" Emily asked.

"I am, and that's the end of that conversation. I want to be happy," she stated. "On another topic, thank you for the flowers today," she smiled. "They are beautiful." Sharon had received two bouquets of flowers, neither with a card, which was totally Ricky. He didn't pay attention to detail, which was okay in her book because he'd thought to send flowers. She did note he'd sent both, since neither had a card, probably trying to cover for Emily.

"You're welcome," Ricky chimed in.

"How are you both doing?" Sharon asked. Ricky remained quiet, hoping to encourage Emily to answer Sharon.

"Fine," Emily said without any elaboration. "New show starts next week."

"I can't believe I'm the one in the family who is going to see this show," Ricky chimed in. ""When am I ever the family member to see Em's show? Man, sorry you get the ballet idiot to see it, Em," he grinned.

"Well, Dad is coming in July, so he'll see it too," Emily added. "You just see it first."

"Andy's coming there in July?" Sharon asked, and as soon as she did, she raised her hand. "No, I am not going to ask or get involved. Glad he's going to be there for you, Emily."

"July 4th weekend," Emily offered, and after she said that, she remained quiet again. It was getting awkward on their video chat, but Sharon was glad Emily had stayed on this long.

"I'm going to get going," Ricky offered. "Meeting the guys for a run."

"I need to go too," Emily said.

"Thank you both for taking the time to call. I love you both," she smiled. "Thank you for making me a mother. You are both the best thing about me."

"Bye, Mom," Emily nodded, and she clicked off. Ricky did the same. Sharon sighed, as she sat there in silence for a few moments. It was better than last year; Emily hadn't spoken to her last year, so that was progress. Sharon was also done feeling guilty; Emily may or may not work through things, but Sharon was done trying to help that along. She'd be there if Emily ever reached out, but she couldn't force it.

Sharon spent the rest of her Sunday relaxing, even getting to bed early. She was looking forward to her week again, something she'd noticed she'd been doing the past couple weeks. The prospect of going on a couple of dates excited her, and her first coffee date was set for Tuesday afternoon. The guy she was going to meet worked with the stock market, so he worked odd hours. Sharon had decided she could just take a late lunch on Tuesday to meet up with him. It was only coffee, so she wasn't worried about it cutting into her workday. Before that, though, she had to get through Monday at work.

Monday morning came, and Sharon was up bright and early. She even made it to the office in record time. She settled in; Sharon liked to be the first to work in her division. She was the boss, after all, and she liked looking over her paperwork before everyone else got there. It allowed her to get a scope of the cases of the week. She'd settled in with her tea, enjoying the silence, when an abrupt knock came at her door. She didn't even get words out to answer the person, before the door barged open.

Sharon jumped at the abrupt swinging of the door and glared at the disturbance.

"You're dating some guy for a dating website?" he said completely exasperated.

Sharon rolled her eyes and looked up, taking a deep breath before answering. Of course, Emily had filled him in on the few details Sharon had given her. "Lieutenant, I trust there is a reason you've just barged into my office on a Monday morning?"

"You heard me," he said, as he swiftly closed the door and turned to look at her. "That guy," he gestured, hands flailing, "the guy from the other night at the elevator-you're dating him? You met him through a dating website?"

Sharon sat back and crossed her arms, "Andy, this really is none of your business. It certainly is not business to discuss in my office AT WORK on a Monday morning," she said as she stared him down.

"It is my business!" he exclaimed as he put his hands on the chair in front of him, leaning toward Sharon, who was still staring him down.

"Why?" she challenged him. "Andy, the only part of my personal life that is your business is 3,000 miles away, dancer type, 26-year-old young woman. Might that refresh your memory? Also, if memory serves, she's perfectly capable of picking up the phone to call either of us, so really, right now, my personal life does not concern you."

"Sharon, he could be a stalker or serial killer!" he exclaimed. He continued with his agitation.

"Andy," Sharon leaned in, "it's none of your business. I'm also perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I'm a detective too, need I remind you Lieutenant?" she glanced at him over the top of her glasses.

"Go ahead," he flung his arms in circles. "You can pull rank as much as you want, but he could be a creep. How many times have I dealt with creeps killing women? Too many!"

"Andy, I'm not discussing my dating life with you. If there's nothing else, go back to work."

"Well, at least leave his name so that when we are called out to investigate your homicide, I know who to arrest!" he stammered.

"Andy, why are you really here?" Sharon asked.

"I told you-Sharon, use your head. A dating website," he shook his head. "Are you still using it?"

"As a matter of fact, I am," she crossed her arms again. "I plan to date as many men as I can, whatever types of dates I can schedule," she said, eyes narrowing at him.

"Oh, you've totally lost it," he said throwing his arms up. At this point, Sharon stood.

"Andy, I would suggest you get back to work. You are treading on thin ice now. This is not up for discussion," she said as she rounded the desk. She brushed past Andy and opened the door. Her team was starting to arrive, so she needed to end this quickly and without a scene. "Good day, Lieutenant," she gestured her arm for him to leave. His glare met hers, and she could see that he wanted to say so much more. She gave him a "try me" type of look. Instead, Andy spun on his heels and stormed out of the office. It was noticed by her team, but they'd seen Andy storm out in the past, especially when in trouble. That didn't look unusual.

Sharon sighed, shaking her head, as she closed the door. She made her way back to her desk, sat, and she looked to the picture she had on her desk of Emily and Ricky together. It was an old one, one telling of happier times. She reflected for a few moments before digging out her phone to return a text.

"John-Tuesday afternoon works. I can meet you at 4:00," she typed out. Andy had annoyed her for barging into her office, but she wasn't going to let that ruin her week.


	16. Chapter 16

It was 4:05 on Tuesday. Sharon didn't like being late; she disliked others being late even more. John was losing points by the minute; he had her number, and he still hadn't shown. Maybe he'd ducked out when he had arrived? Maybe he was just standing her up? She didn't know, but she wasn't happy. Yes, she knew it was just past 4:00, but still, she had a feeling he wasn't going to come.

"Sharon-I am so sorry. I'm stuck in an emergency meeting. I want to make it up to you. I know we talked about coffee first, but can I take you to dinner on Friday?-John," she read a few minutes later. She had already decided she would wait until 4:15 and leave. It was now 4:13, and she'd just gotten the text. She pursed her lips, thinking. She wasn't sure how to respond because he had irritated her; it was a pet peeve, not that he knew that, but still. She wanted to believe he was in a meeting, but that meant trusting a man she hadn't met. She sighed, not sure if she wanted to try again with him or not. She was meeting Allen for coffee Thursday, and she didn't know how that would go either. Taking a deep breath and a leap of faith, she quickly typed out a text before she got cold feet.

"Friday dinner will be fine. Thank you for letting me know about today. Can I meet you at the restaurant? Just let me know the time," she had told him.

She waited, knowing if he was in a meeting, she might not hear from him right away. She decided that as long as she was there, she was going to get a cup of tea and something to eat; she had missed lunch. After ordering, her phone alerted her to a text again.

"Would 7:00 work? My apologies again. I hate being late, and I'll text you later about the place," he said. She smiled at that. Maybe he truly was stuck. She understood what that was like. Chief Pope had done that to her plenty over the years.

While Monday and Tuesday hadn't turned out as she had expected, starting with Andy barging into her office and ending with her date not showing, Sharon wasn't letting that get her down. She still had two dates to look forward to during the week, and even though she knew she was going to have to spend some of the week with Chief Johnson, she was determined to make it a good week.

Wednesday found her front and center in Major Crimes. Luckily, they were in the middle of a case. Sharon had spoken with Brenda in the hallway, and they agreed to meet at some point during the day when Brenda sent the team out to collect people and evidence. That happened to be right before lunch, so Sharon dropped everything to scurry down and take care of her business. Knowing Andy was out of the office, she saw this as the perfect time to get her work done without running into him. Brenda was busy on a call with her detectives, so Sharon excused herself for a few minutes, stopping in the break room to make a cup of tea. She had a salad in her office she would eat later, but the tea would hold her over for the time being.

"Oh, Captain," she heard, looking up and frowned at the sight.

"Lieutenant, I thought your team was out collecting people and evidence?" she asked.

He nodded, "They are. I was over at the DA's office finishing up a deposition. That was scheduled and had to be done. I'm rejoining the team now," he said. Sharon nodded at the explanation and finished making her tea.

"I need to meet with your boss, but have a good day, Lieutenant," she said.

"Anymore baseball in your future, Captain?" he said with a hint of interest. Sharon slowly turned and threw him a fake smile, "Lieutenant Provenza, if you are asking me out, I'll go ahead and decline. Not my type. As for any other prospects," she shrugged, "you never know. Good day," she grinned, knowing she was leaving him, standing there speechless.

Sharon was able to finish her meeting and get out of Major Crimes before seeing Andy. She knew her run-in with Lieutenant Provenza would be the hot topic with Andy, and she really didn't care. By Thursday, she hadn't run into Andy again, much to her relief, and she found herself almost skipping out of the office to meet up with her lunch coffee date with Allen.

Allen worked in an insurance office, and she had to admit, his picture was a bit dorky. She hoped it was just a bad picture, or like her own profile, maybe he had kids or someone who had created the page for him. He was easy to spot in the coffee shop, Sharon restraining herself from groaning at the sight of him. Yes, he was apparently that dorky. He was thin and balding, but he had on even worse glasses than his picture; they just made his face look odd, not that she had any problem with glasses, and worst of all for her, he was wearing a fanny pack. As she got closer, she noticed he had on dress slacks and all-white running shoes, not the example of style. She took a deep breath, hoping there was more beneath the exterior.

"Sharon?" he stood as she walked up to the table. "Wow, you're a knockout," he added.

"Ahh, thanks," Sharon gave an awkward smile. She never knew how to reply to comments like that. They often made her feel uncomfortable, almost like she was on display. "Should we order?"

"Oh, I took the liberty of getting us both a coffee. Hope that's okay," he smiled. Sharon, a bit surprised, just nodded and sat. He seemed nice enough, but a little odd.

"So," he said, "tell me about yourself."

"Well, as you saw, I'm a police detective, divorced, two kids," she shrugged. "That's the basic run-down. You?"

He looked to the sky, "Well, married once when I was 22 and divorced by 25. No kids and not married since. Love my job. In fact, do you know what percentage of people don't carry life insurance?"

Sharon rolled her eyes as she walked out of the coffee shop 25 minutes later. It had been painful, but she'd gotten schooled in the art of insurance. Her date had felt more like an insurance briefing. She chalked that up to an information session as opposed to a date. Wow, she'd struck out with Allen and kicked herself for thinking he would be better in person. Lesson learned. With that date out of the way, she focused on Friday evening, hoping she would have a good time with John.

Friday, Sharon was summoned to Pope's office, where she was given even more information on the lawsuit. That, in turn, forced her to walk the gauntlet to Major Crimes to talk to Brenda once again. The office was relatively quiet, she having heard they had solved their case the day prior, so she assumed they were wrapping up reports.

"Captain," Gabriel nodded to her, he being the first to see her.

"Morning, everyone," she nodded to the group, making eye contact with most, but certainly not Andy. She saw out of the corner of her eye, he had glanced up at her, and she could feel him staring her down as she knocked and entered Brenda's office. It didn't help that her seat in Brenda's office had a good view of Andy's desk, where she could tell, out of the corner of her eye, he continued to watch her as he pretended to work on a report.

Sharon only spent five minutes with Brenda, eager to get to her own floor, but the paperwork she and Brenda discussed needed some alteration before it could make its way back to Chief Pope.

"I'll get this paperwork all corrected with the changes we discussed, and then I will bring it back by for your signature, " Sharon added. "He wants it by the end of the day; I guess the lawyer for the city needs it today."

"That's fine, Captain," Brenda sighed. "I'll be here all afternoon."

Sharon walked out, talking to Brenda, which was part of her plan to avoid any confrontation with Major Crimes. She also strategized that if she walked it down at the end of the day, she should be able to avoid seeing the team again. Brenda had mentioned they were all getting out of the office early, so Sharon planned to time it appropriately.

By 4:50, Sharon was walking back into Major Crimes. She'd called Brenda an hour prior and been assured she was still there. Brenda had said the team was packing up, and Sharon almost jumped for joy when she realized she would avoid everyone. It almost worked.

"Captain, come in," Brenda called to her, as Sharon knocked at the door. It was open, but Brenda wasn't alone. Provenza was once again there, seated, where he had apparently been talking with his boss.

"These just need a signature," Sharon handed the paperwork. She stood, waiting, while Brenda scanned everything for the latest updates.

"Big plans for the weekend, Captain?" Provenza looked to her, his smug face irritating her.

"Plans, Lieutenant, yes. You?" she asked.

He shrugged, "I'm sure there will be a Dodger game to watch. Bar scene tonight, the usual," he shrugged again. Sharon hummed.

"You coming to the bar?" he asked.

Sharon gave him an odd look, "When have I ever?"

"Just making small talk, Captain," he nodded to her.

"Well, Fritzy and I are going to dinner tonight," Brenda added. "I'm hungry already."

"No offense, Chief, but you are always hungry," Provenza said with a hint of sass.

Sharon couldn't help but laugh. Provenza had a way of delivering statements that just got people laughing.

"Lieutenant, I might argue with you, but you're right," Brenda said, as she started to sign the paperwork. "Fritzy got me tickets to the ballet tomorrow too. Why, I don't know. He thinks I really want to go. Who actually likes the ballet?" she said, making a face, unaware of Sharon's connection to the ballet.

Provenza glanced up at Sharon, her eyes briefly meeting his, "Chief, you know the captain's daughter here is a professional ballet dancer."

Brenda's eyes flew up to Sharon, "She is? Oh my, Captain, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" she said.

Sharon held up her hand, "It's fine, Chief. I do understand. The ballet isn't for everyone. Her brother hates going, but as an adult, he's realized it's part of being a family. So, while he hates it, he still goes," she shrugged.

"I can't understand it. It's just not my thing. I'm not sure what to think of the fact that Fritzy is excited to go. I just don't see how men really enjoy the ballet. Football-yes, ballet-no," Brenda made another face.

"Captain, isn't it true that your young ballerina's dad loves the ballet too?" Provenza smirked, eyes twinkling as he stared up at Sharon. Besides her family, Andy's family, and Provenza, Sharon didn't think anyone was aware of Emily's parentage. Brenda hadn't noticed the two making eye contact, that much was a relief to Sharon.

Sharon cleared her throat as she glared at him. Two could play at this game, "My ex-husband seems to like the bottle more than the ballet. Chief, if you are done, I'll take that paperwork." Brenda handed over the paperwork before Provenza tried to get the last word.

"Well, enjoy your evening at home, Captain," he smirked.

"I will when I get there, Lieutenant. Like you, I have plans," she huffed and nodded to Brenda as she left. She deposited the paperwork with Pope before gathering her things. She had enough time to get home, shower and change, and meet John at the restaurant. They had agreed on one not too far from her condo, only about 20 minutes away. He said he lived further out than she did, and she didn't want to give out her address, yet, so the place he suggested seemed like a good, neutral location.

She arrived at the restaurant five minutes early, this time wearing a conservative cocktail dress. It was dark burgundy, almost a black color in certain light, with her cream-colored heels. She took a deep breath as she sent a text to John and quickly received a reply that he was waiting in the bar area.

"John?" she asked, walking up to a thin, well-dressed man. He almost took her breath away. He still had dark hair, even though he'd told her he was five years older than she was, and he had glasses too, but unlike her last mess of a fanny pack date, these glasses fit him perfect. He was very well dressed, and she smiled to herself that maybe this would be an enjoyable evening.

"Sharon," he stood smiling and extending his hand. "I;m John, the idiot who stood up a beautiful date the other day," he hung his head. "Again, I'm sorry. That is not my style."

She nodded, "Thank you. It's not mine either, and I almost didn't agree to dinner."

"I'm glad you did," he smiled, offering his hand. "Shall we? Our table is ready."

"Great," she smiled. "I'm glad I agreed to come too."

They were seated near the windows, which had a great view of the mountains. It was an upscale, modern bistro, and Sharon found herself enjoying the atmosphere right away.

"This is a great place," she smiled as she got situated at the table. "I've never been here."

He nodded as he looked around too, "Yes, I am friends with the head chef. He's one of my neighbors, so I enjoy coming here. I'm sort of a regular," he shrugged admittingly.

Their drink orders were taken, and Sharon found herself relaxing. The light music playing overhead was just enough to help her really calm down to enjoy her evening. Soon, the two were laughing and smiling as they were old friends.

They had just ordered and were settling into the "getting to know you" conversation when Sharon almost choked on her wine. She was mid sip when she suddenly had to spit it back in her glass, or otherwise, it would have gone all over John's face, and she started coughing.

"Are you okay?" he started to get up, worried she was not going to clear her throat.

"I'm fine," she waved at him, encouraging him to sit down, her eyes wandering to the source of the problem. Sharon hadn't started choking on her own; a scene in front of her had started it. Of all the people and all the places in LA, Andy was being escorted to a table on the other side of the restaurant, his own date on his arm. She wanted to stare even more, but she knew that would be extremely rude to John. She turned her attention back to him, noting he was visibly worried about her. "Well, I can just go," she offered, rolling her eyes. "Great first date-I choke on my wine," she tried laughing it off, shaking her head.

He reached out to touch her arm, "I'm just worried about you. You look pretty pale still. Are you sure you are okay?"

She nodded, offering a smile. "I'll be fine. Maybe I'll just use the ladies' room and be right back?" He nodded.

"I'll get you another glass," he gestured to her glass of wine.

"Oh, I'm fine," she held up her hand to stop him. "A cup of tea, though, would be great."

Once Sharon excused herself, she tried to see what Andy was doing without being seen. He was definitely on a date, and she had no idea why that ticked her off. Why was he here? She couldn't relax and enjoy her date because here, the father of her daughter, sat with some other woman. She huffed off the bathroom to regain her composure. This date had suddenly taken an unexpected turn.


	17. Chapter 17

**Thanks for the reviews! Wow, I had no idea so many were reading and rooting for the story to take its twists and turns. I also had a question about the timeframe...this is now end of May 2011, going into Season 7 of The Closer. It's still A/U, but I've tried to tie it into the story as best I can. Season 6 of The Closer ended in January, and Season 7 started mid-July. I'm trying to weave around that, as I'm including the buildup to the lawsuit that dominated so much of Season 7. I've mentioned some grumblings with lawsuits and all, and that one is starting to hang over Sharon's head. Brenda was in a constant mess during that time, so I'm trying to allude to that with Sharon in and out of her office now, having her sign paperwork all the time. Hope that helps! Thanks again.**

* * *

Sharon had her hands on the bathroom sink, staring into the mirror. What in the world was Andy doing at this particular restaurant? Sharon thought back, and she knew for a fact she hadn't discussed this date at all with Ricky, so that meant he hadn't been able to tell Emily who told Andy. She hadn't spoken to anyone about it; she'd worked all week, and that had been it. Andy had really, by chance, shown up here? She shook her head, just her luck. Of course, in all of LA, he'd shown up here. As she thought about it, it was close to his house, and it did have a good reputation. However, in the few months they'd dated, they had never come here, but still. Maybe it was a recent discovery. Since when was he dating too? He'd been all irritated about her using a dating website, but here he was. Well, maybe he'd asked someone the old-fashioned way, but who was she? Sharon hadn't gotten to see her; she could only see the back of her from her table. She had a partial view of Andy, but she couldn't see his date, only to say she had longer hair that she'd twisted up into some sort of bun thing. Sharon shook her head. She was going to really have to focus tonight. John seemed like a really nice guy, and she couldn't be distracted by Andy. Oh, she had choked on her wine! She'd choked and spit it back into her glass. She shook her head again-she was an idiot. Andy was not going to get the best of her. She was going to go back out there and enjoy her evening.

"Are you okay?" John asked, as she seated herself again. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Andy was studying a menu. Sharon didn't think he'd noticed her.

"I'm fine," she waved him off, as he stood to help her into her seat. "I have to apologize," she rolled her eyes. "That was embarrassing."

"Don't worry about it," he shrugged it off. "Let's start fresh. Now, we have had our drinks. Are you ready to order?"

"I think so," she smiled. "What are you having?"

"The ribeye," he smiled. "I love a good steak, and they cook them perfectly here. What about you?"

Sharon studied the menu, not sure what to order. She also wasn't sure what she wanted to convey, so she went with the old standard date tactic, "I'm going to get the Mediterranean salad," she said shutting her menu. "Hopefully, I won't choke on it."

"A salad type, huh?" he smiled. "I'm more the meat and potato type myself. Grew up in the Midwest and moved out here after college. Love a good meat and potato dinner."

"I've gotten hooked on salads the past few years," she offered. "Now, that doesn't mean I can't eat a good pizza, Italian dinner, seafood, and such, but tonight, it sounds good," she smiled.

The two ordered, and while they waited for their food, John asked Sharon a lot of questions about her work. She did the same, the two of them finding out they really didn't have anything in common, workwise, aside from strange hours.

"So, I work on East Coast time," he offered. "That means my workday starts around 5:00 AM so I can speak to my clients before the market opens, and then I finish around 2:00 PM. It's an odd schedule, but it works, and I don't have to fight rush hour traffic as much."

Sharon nodded, "That is a good point. So, I sleep when I can, and I get called out at all hours of the day and night when an officer does something to someone else. Often, it's an annoyance, but I have to research and report, all within 72 hours. I often am feared as the hated member of the LAPD because basically, at the end of the day, I have to investigate other officers. However," she cleared her voice, "I do my best to make sure the good ones stay out of trouble."

"Well, many of my clients hate me too, especially when I make a bad investment," he cringed, making a face. Sharon got to laughing at his joke.

"See, we have more in common than we thought," she smiled.

"Now, tell me about your kids," he said. "I just have the one son. He's now 30 and on his second marriage," he sighed. "I hope he's figuring things out. I am afraid my ex-wife and I messed him up, divorcing when he was so young. He never saw a stable marriage, and it's taking a toll already."

Sharon nodded, "I have that same worry," she sighed. "Why do our kids have to pay for the stupid decisions we made? Now, neither of my kids are married, but," she shook her head, "I'm worried that could be a problem of its own. I'm worried they will be too afraid to get married because they saw my life fall apart."

"You're right about that," he nodded. "Did you have full or shared custody of your kids?"

"Well," Sharon said, as she glanced toward Andy. He wasn't looking her way at all. He seemed pretty interested in his date, and she couldn't help but wonder if he'd seen her at all in the restaurant. "Well, I was legally separated for a long time, and my ex-husband took off for Vegas where he spent most of his time at a card game or in the bottom of a bottle."

"Ahh, so you raised your kids," he smiled with a sympathetic look.

"I did," Sharon offered. "What about you?"

"Joint custody," he shrugged. "My ex got remarried, and I never did. She divorced that guy too, so really, my son hasn't seen anything healthy either. I like his wife now, and I hope they will stick it out. I'm trying to talk to him, encourage him to not let things fall apart, but" he shrugged. "We have a decent relationship since I spent so much time with him. I'm guessing your ex doesn't have that with the kids?"

Sharon shook her head, "No," he doesn't. "It's more complicated than that, though," she took a deep breath. "I'm going to tell you this because I can tell I do like you, and I don't want this to be an issue. My daughter and son have different fathers. It was messy, and my husband had cheated on me-I caught them in our house-and well," she shrugged. "I was stupid, young, and mad. I thought that getting back at him was the answer. Not only did I screw up with that notion, I ended up pregnant. When my husband begged me for a second chance, we moved forward with all cards on the table, which included him knowing that I was newly pregnant, and we went from there. We had Emily, and then three years later, we had Ricky. He never looked back, which is to his credit. I made another error in judgement, based on circumstances at the time, and I didn't tell Emily's father. He recently found out, as did Emily, courtesy of my drunk ex-husband, and well, my life has been a mess."

"Wow," he said with a surprised face. "I can see the pain in your eyes when you tell that story. I am guessing, then, that you still know Emily's father?"

Sharon rolled her eyes, "I have to work with him. He's an LAPD lieutenant. The one good thing that has come from this is that Emily and her father are getting to know each other and growing closer. She has a dad who cares, when my ex-husband continues to drink. He pretends to care about Emily and Ricky, but he doesn't. Emily is still furious with me, but it has slowly been getting better. In time, I hope we can heal," she said.

"Thanks for telling me," he replied.

Sharon sighed, as she looked at him, "That was the worst first date chat ever," she chuckled. "I can just go now," she offered. "I can only imagine you think I'm completely crazy and are hoping for this evening to end."

"On the contrary," he said, reaching to pat her arm, "I'm impressed by you. I can tell you are strong and independent, raised your kids, and you don't take things without a fight. We all made mistakes in our past, and Sharon, that doesn't mean you can't do things right now."

"Thank you," Sharon said, as she started to relax. She had almost forgotten Andy was there when the waiter brought their meals, and she caught a glance of him out of the corner of her eye. She noticed he already had his food, and she rolled her eyes, luckily without John seeing it, as she was sure she and Andy had ordered the same meal.

"Everything okay?" he asked, his fork in hand, ready to eat. Sharon snapped out of her daze.

"Great," she smiled. "This looks wonderful."

The two enjoyed small talk as they ate their meal, and as they finished, Sharon began to internally panic, realizing that she might just run into Andy as they all left the restaurant.

"Can I interest you in dessert?" he asked.

"Sure," Sharon agreed, partly because of the Andy situation, but also, she was enjoying her evening and didn't want it to end. They had come in separate cars, and she knew when they left, they would go their separate ways.

Dessert came, a shared piece of cheesecake, and Sharon got so interested in it, when she glanced Andy's way, she was shocked to see the table being cleared. He'd left, and she had missed it. Had he seen her? She didn't think he had; he hadn't made a scene and come to her table. On the other hand, too, she hadn't seen his date, and she had been dying to see the girl. Was she young or older like Sharon? Sharon knew Andy had a streak of dating younger women, with her being the only exception, and from the back, she hadn't been able to tell with his date. She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, glad to not have the confrontation with Andy.

Once the bill had been paid, John helped Sharon out of the restaurant. "Can I walk you to your car?" he offered, a smile on his face.

"Please," she nodded.

"Oh, that probably sounded like the worst pick up line," he chuckled. "You're a police captain, and here I was trying to sound like a gentleman."

Sharon touched his arm, "I appreciate you trying to be a gentleman. It's nice. Thank you," she said. The two walked side by side, close, but not touching. It was still a bit awkward since this was their first date.

"Sharon, I had a lovely time, and I'd love to take you out again if you would like," John offered as he turned and smiled at her once they had reached her car. "No pressure, though," he added. "You don't have to answer at all right now. You can just not answer my text, and I'll get the message."

"No," she shook her head, and she could see the defeat in his face. "No," she sighed, as she touched his arm again, "I mean, I'd like to go out with you again. The 'no' was a 'I don't need to wait to answer you' if that makes sense. Maybe I should stop talking," she laughed.

John leaned in and gave her a quick, sweet kiss, as she was regaining her composure. It surprised her a little, but she had to admit it wasn't unwelcome.

"Sorry if that was too much," he said.

"It wasn't," she smiled at him. "I have enjoyed your company."

"Next weekend?" he offered, and Sharon frowned. She started to laugh when she realized he was trying to figure out her frown.

"Sorry," she said. "I might be a bit nervous, and I'm definitely messing this up. I was frowning because next weekend I have to work."

"Oh," he nodded. "Well, you tell me," he offered.

Sharon thought a moment, "What about a movie on Sunday?"

He smiled, "I'd like that. I don't mind eating alone, but I hate going to the movies alone."

"Would you like to meet at The Grove?" she asked. "The movie theater there is huge, and I'm sure we can find something."

"Sounds like a date," he smiled. "I'll call you, or would you prefer a text?"

"You can call," she smiled. "Night, John," she said as she squeezed his arm and got into her car.


	18. Chapter 18

Shorter, yes, I know. One of the chapters I wrote was over 2800 words, and I still had people tell me it was too short. Anyways, it is what it is. Thanks for the comments. Glad people are enjoying our idiots.

* * *

Sharon crawled into bed, happy with the evening. She'd enjoyed her date, but Andy's appearance at the same restaurant still had her baffled. The fact he hadn't come to her table convinced her that Andy hadn't seen her, but who was his date? She'd have to file that away to think about later, but as she crawled into bed and turned on the news, she fired up her computer. It wasn't that late, but it felt good to stretch out in her bed. She was surprised to find another dozen or so date requests from her dating website. She took a few minutes to scroll through them, intent on answering any that seemed promising. Just because she had one decent date with John didn't mean things were going to work out with him.

She was surprised to find two that sounded promising. She returned their requests, suggesting a coffee shop as she had with the rest. It was kind of fun, at least for now. She had a good laugh about a couple of the profiles she read, and she found it fascinating to study people. Now, she'd realized her radar was a little off with previous picks, but she was working on zeroing in on that. Sharon felt like reading these profiles was like buying a house. When you searched online for a home, you started to learn the language. "Cozy" in a house really meant way too small, just as "charming" meant that it had weird rooms or things that didn't make sense. She was realizing the dating world was similar and weeding out the ones that read like a scripted description.

She'd finished checking her email and had settled on the news when she heard a new message arrive. Surprised to find one of the gentleman emailing her back right away, she clicked on it, a bit curious. Clay had answered her already. She wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

"I'd love to meet for coffee. Are you free anytime this weekend? I've got no set plans. You pick the location; I'll be there," he had said.

Sharon paused as she re-read the email. She wasn't sure if his lack of plans was a good or bad thing. Come to think of it, though, she rarely had plans, unless of course, that involved working. Oh, what was a cup of coffee over the weekend? It couldn't hurt, and she could even go on this date before Sunday maybe, before meeting up with John again.

"Would 2:00 downtown work?" Sharon asked, sending the location of her favorite shop near work. Truth be told, she really did need to pick up a couple of files she had left when she'd rushed out Friday evening. They could wait, but she really wanted to get them squared away before the new week. If she could combine that with this coffee date, it would be a very successful afternoon. Meeting on the weekend, she wasn't concerned about running into people from work. Sharon didn't have to wait long for the response.

"I'll be there. Looking forward to it," he replied.

So, in the matter of 24 hours, Sharon would have two dates. She'd gone out with John just a few hours before, and that had gone well. Now, she had a date with Clay on Saturday afternoon for coffee. She closed her computer and settled into bed, thinking about the full weekend she now suddenly had.

Sharon stopped dead in her tracks when she entered the coffee shop the next afternoon. Provenza and Andy were standing in line, chatting it up, both dressed for work. Of course, she shook her head, sighing to herself. She took a deep breath, not wanting to enter, but she also didn't want to leave Clay all alone. The coffee shop was mostly empty, so she didn't believe he'd arrived yet. Perhaps, she could wait outside and head him off before going in? She glanced around, frowning. The storefront wasn't that big, and she knew as she glanced around, it would be weird to wait outside. Why, why why? Sharon stomped her foot and took a step inside. She was going to get this over now.

"Gentlemen," she said firmly as she walked up behind them in line. Both Andy and Provenza turned to her. She noticed they both had suit jackets on, but more casual shirts, as if they'd been called in on the weekend. They must have caught a case.

"Captain," Provenza turned to her. "Going to work?"

"I am stopping by my office, yes," she admitted. That much was true, even if she hadn't been called into work. "You two?" she moved her finger between the men. Andy hadn't said anything yet.

"We're heading home, that is, after we have coffee," Andy finally answered. Sharon started thinking and nodded; that must have been what pulled Andy from the restaurant last night, a case.

Provenza's phone rang, and he turned to Andy before taking the call, "I'll take my usual, and get me a large this time since you are now paying."

Andy rolled his eyes, as he tried to ease the tension with Sharon. She almost asked him about his date, but she stopped herself. She didn't want to open that can of worms.

"Look, Sharon," he said, "can we sit and talk? I'm sure I can run off Provenza," he nodded to the man, who must have an ex-wife or family member on the phone because he looked irritated and was gesturing with his hands.

"About what, Andy?" Sharon changed her stance. "Look, we aren't going to rehash the past, not again."

"No," he said, but was stopped when Provenza returned.

"Liz," he grumbled, answering the silent question of his call. "I can't believe I ever married her."

"Twice," Andy said quickly. "You married her twice," he smirked. "What were you thinking?"

Provenza turned, annoyed and looked at Andy. He glanced to Sharon and back to Andy again, "Good question, Flynn. Let's ask yourself the same thing," he glanced to Sharon again.

"Lieutenant!" Sharon snapped. "Leave it alone!"

Provenza just eyed her and then Andy, turning back to Sharon, "I see her pictures, and I can't believe she came from this," he gestured with his hand between them. "Flynn, where's my coffee?"

Andy sighed, "Obviously, I haven't ordered," he said, turning. From a shop that wasn't busy, the two people in front of them were taking a long time.

"I'm waiting in the car," Provenza grumbled, walking off, as he waved to Andy. Andy turned back to Sharon.

"I'd really like to talk to you," he pleaded.

"Andy, this isn't a good time," she sighed, looking at her watch. It was now just after 2:00, and as she looked around, she noted Clay hadn't arrived yet.

"Well, when is a good time? I'll come by work, but I'm guessing you don't want that," he stated.

"There isn't a good time," she replied.

"Sharon! I am asking to sit down and talk to you. Let's not be unreasonable. Think of Emily," he said, knowing that would irritate her he'd thrown Emily into it. It worked; Sharon narrowed her eyes.

"Does this concern Emily?" she asked.

"Not directly," he snapped back. "Can I stop by tomorrow? I know you'll go to Mass, so maybe after that?"

"No," she shook her head. "I'm busy."

"Tomorrow evening, then? Sharon, I'll come by work Monday morning," he stated.

Sharon looked to the sky as she took a deep breath, "Fine, tomorrow. I should be home after 5:00," she explained.

"Okay," he nodded, turning when he was called up to place his order. He did so, and because he was just getting two regular coffees and nothing special, they got his drinks before they even called Sharon to order. He breezed by her as he left, "See you tomorrow, Sharon," he said, and then he left the shop. Sharon stepped up to order. She really felt badly about not waiting for Clay, but he was now late.

She placed her order, and when she dug out her card to pay, she was told, "Oh, it's been covered, Ma'am. The gentleman before you paid for your order, and he said to give you a blueberry muffin too," the girl smiled. "I think he likes you."

Sharon stood there, dumbfounded, almost irritated Andy had done that. She turned to say something to him, certain he would be lingering by the door, but he'd left. She just nodded to the girl; there was nothing more to say.

She finished her tea and muffin, that she didn't know she wanted, and still no Clay. He'd stood her up, but maybe, she had to admit, he'd arrived when she was arguing with Andy. Yeah, that wasn't a pretty sight to see, and she could understand why he might not show. As she was thinking about it, she dug out her phone to see if he'd even sent her a message why.

"Change of plans," he said, noting he'd sent the email while she was on her way. So, he hadn't stood her up exactly, even though sending her an email 15 minutes before meeting wasn't her style. He didn't have her phone number, so she did have to give him the benefit of the doubt that this was the only way he could communicate. "I could meet tomorrow?" he offered.

Sharon frowned; she didn't appreciate someone who was so flippant, and she really didn't know what to do. She knew she couldn't meet Sunday; her day was now full, so she decided not to answer for the moment. She did have a nice date with John scheduled, and then there was Andy, whatever he wanted. She'd let Clay stew a bit before answering him; he had dropped her at the last minute, so she wasn't in a hurry to reply to him.


	19. Chapter 19

**Okay, so this chapter...I just had trouble with it, no reason. So, I hope it's okay. I'm still publishing it going, "Hmmm, I'm not sure..."**

* * *

Sharon settled in her normal pew for Mass and closed her eyes. The service was about to start, but she always liked to try and clear her head, as well as take time to pray before the service began. People were filling in all around her, which was making her a bit distracted, but soon she found her peace and was able to continue her prayers. Rustling in her pew distracted her once again. She expected people to sit near her, but not THIS close. Unable to focus, she opened one eye and let out an audible sign.

"Oh, my goodness," she sighed. "I just want to attend church in peace."

"I know. I'm not causing trouble," he said with a soft voice.

She raised an eye at him, and he shrugged. "You are stalking me. Why in the world are you here? I told you we could talk this evening, NOT during Mass," she huffed.

"I've come to Mass plenty of times with you before," he added. "I like this church. The Father knows me too. Why can't I be here?"

"You only followed me here because I'm here," she hissed.

"No, I told you. I want to talk to you, and this seemed like a good place to start. I have a lot on my mind too, a lot to pray about. I told you that I want to talk to you. I'd be happy to take you to lunch after this and talk then. I don't want to wait until later to clear the air."

Sharon huffed again, unable to continue because the service started. She didn't know if Andy had been in church in over the last year, but she knew he hadn't been in her service. Granted, the church had other services, several of them in fact, and he had come here with her the whole time they were dating, but it still, today, annoyed her to no end.

As if Andy's presence wasn't enough to annoy her, he wanted to actually participate with her, such as hold the hymnal for her, flip to the right pages, as if they were sharing all the books and Bible. It irritated her to no end. When the service finally ended, he touched her arm when she tried to stand.

"Look, please let me talk to you," he sighed. "I got up this morning, and I needed to talk to you. I needed to get here to church too. I just felt like this was the place to start."

Sharon shook her head, "Fine, Andy. I'm so tired of arguing right now. I have plans later this afternoon, so this can't drag on. If you are just wanting to chew me out, save it. You've done that plenty."

"I promise," he held up his hand, and she nodded.

They made their way out the side door, not interested in chit chat today with anyone else. Sharon turned back to him, wondering what he was going to suggest next.

"There's that restaurant around the corner you like," he offered. Sharon took a deep breath and just nodded. Of course, he would remember that place. It was their standard breakfast stop after Mass each week. She hadn't gone there since their world had come crashing down.

"I want to start by apologizing," he said after they'd ordered their coffee and food. Neither had looked at a menu; they'd been here often enough to know what they wanted to eat. Sharon was mindlessly stirring her coffee, barely making eye contact with Andy. That comment, though, had surprised her, and she looked up at him, waiting for him to continue. "I've had some time to think," he started and stopped when he caught her glare.

"Okay, I've had almost a year and a half to think," he said. "I've been angry, but I'm tired of being angry," he admitted. "I've wanted to hate you, to not forgive you, but I just can't. I want to forgive you, and that's one of the biggest things I've been trying to tell you, one of the reasons I wanted to show up in church this morning."

Sharon caught her breath; she hadn't been expecting that.

"I realize now after a lot of thinking and talking with people that we both messed up; we both made our mistakes. I was a drunk and lost my family. What I didn't realize was that I lost my family in more ways than I could ever imagine. For so long, I defined my family as Sandra, Nicole, and Nathan. I saw them as one entity, and even now, I refused to see that when I lost my family, I lost Emily too, you in other ways, even if I didn't know her and couldn't be with you then. Your ability to see my drinking-that's why I lost her; I know you, and I want to believe that if things had been different, if I had been a better man, a man not addicted to alcohol back then, I wouldn't have lost Emily either. I want to believe that you would have at least allowed me to be part of her life, even if it made your life messier. I want to believe that," he pleaded.

Sharon had a deer in the headlight type of look. Clearly, she had been blind sighted, but this conversation was one she'd hoped for over the last year. "Andy," she cleared her voice and looked up at him. He was serious; she could almost see the pain in his eyes. "I want to believe that too," she nodded. "We can't change the past or predict what we could have done, but I want to believe that Emily would have been in your life too. When she was born, you were a mess; you and I both know that. For at least the time being, Jack wasn't. All I have ever wanted for her or even Ricky is a good dad, a good relationship with their dad, and neither had that. They had two different fathers, and both were not the parents I had envisioned-THEN. I always wanted it, for my kids to have a good father, and despite the circumstances, I am glad she has that now. I believe she has that. I know you are trying, as is she, and I'm happy about that. I never wanted to cut you out of her life, and yes, I should have told you sooner, but I was afraid to lose you both," she sighed. "Ironically, I did anyway."

"Why are you using a dating website?" he asked, blind sighting her again. Her eyes flew open.

"Excuse me?" she said defensively. "That's none of your business. If we are onto that now, I think I'll skip lunch," she said, gathering her things. Andy reached over and stilled her hand.

"No, I really want to know," he said.

"I want to be happy, Andy. Looking back, I've not been happy most of my life, and whatever years I have left, I want to be happy. I've closed the door on trying to make up for my mistakes. I've stopped apologizing for my past. I've apologized, accepted it, and I want to move on and be happy."

"Okay," he said with a harsh tone.

"Who are you dating?" Sharon fired one back at him. He raised his eyes in surprise as he looked at her.

"Excuse me?" he asked. Sharon crossed her arms, looking at him. "Oh, so we're going there. Let's talk about who you are dating," he suggested.

"Let's not," she said firmly.

"Right back at you," he said, and the two were silenced when the waitress dropped off their food. She scurried away, aware of the visible tension.

Andy broke the tension, "Look, I didn't want to talk to you to get into another fight. I really wanted to apologize. I know you thought it was best. I was a drunk. We both messed up. Getting involved like that was a dumb mistake," he sighed, shaking his head.

Sharon nodded, "Yes, perhaps, although, no matter how they entered this world, I cannot see either of my kids as a mistake. Thank you for Emily," she offered a sad smile. "She and Ricky both are my life, and I have you to thank for her."

He lowered his head, "I should be thanking you because she's wonderful, Sharon. You did that. I've been thinking about the mess I would have created in her life. You're right; I wasn't in any shape to take care of my kids, any of the three of them. I've worked through, well, still am working through trying to forgive Sandra. I forgive her, even if I am still struggling with the notion I couldn't see my kids, that she kept me from my kids, but she did the same thing you did in a way. She protected them when I was a mess. You did the same, and it's been unfair of me to continue to judge you for it. Yes, I wish I had known her, but what would I have done to our relationship? I have a better relationship with Emily than I do with Nicole or Nathan, mainly because they had to see the drunk me. She didn't. How messed up is that? I'm working on things with each of my three kids, but she and I are doing the best by far. Some of that, much of that," he corrected himself, "is that she didn't have to grow up being disappointed in her drunk father. I'm sorry. Thank you for taking care of our daughter when I couldn't."

She folded her hands after she put down her fork, "Andy, can we agree to bury this and move on? I can't offer a 'You're Welcome' to that because I know that I messed up too, and I feel like we could spend all day going back and forth apologizing and justifying why we feel what we feel. Can we just move on? The truth is out, and you two are getting along well. Can we just be civil?" she asked.

"I can do that," he said easily. "I'd like to do that. It's hard enough dealing with everything, work, stress, and all, that I would like to move on," he offered. Sharon nodded, and the silence resumed, this time, it was welcome.

"So," she cleared her throat, "Emily has said about 10 words to me in the past month, but she did mention you were visiting for the 4th of July weekend?"

He nodded, "I am. I can't wait to see her new show."

Sharon hummed, "Ricky will be visiting her the week before. He's going too, although, not with the same enthusiasm."

"You could come too," he offered.

Sharon raised her eyes, looking at him over the rim of her glasses, "Just because we agreed to let the past be the past, doesn't mean we have to be the happy travelers together. You go spend time with her," she encouraged.

"Maybe I want you to come," Andy said bluntly.

Sharon closed her eyes and put down her fork again, this time, grabbing her purse strap, "Andy, I can't keep doing this. I'm trying to be happy, to move on. You broke things off with me over a year ago now. You see me with a guy the other night at work, and instantly, you want to move on. I'm all for moving on, believe me, and right now, that means I'm going to leave," she said as she hastily stood.

"Sharon," he sighed, lowering his head and shaking it. "I'm sorry," he offered, but Sharon stopped him.

"Thank you for the apology, and for Emily's sake, I hope we can move on. I'm working on that in all areas of my life right now because it's healthy," she said and sighed as she walked out of the restaurant wondering what had just happened over the past hour.

As she walked back to her car, she replayed all the events of the morning, struck at how much of a train wreck things seemed. She needed to get out of her own head. Andy's little drop in on her this morning was throwing her mind off, and she really wanted to refocus for her date this afternoon with John. She had to move on, and before her run-in with Andy, she'd felt excited about the day, energized and not defeated. Now, she felt like a mess. She was right; it was healthy to move on, but why was she having so much trouble doing just that?


	20. Chapter 20

Sharon started toward the condo. She still had three hours before she met up with John, and she needed to clear her head in the meantime. She grunted out loud, irritated for how things had gone at lunch. She had to admit that while she wanted to be mad at Andy, she enjoyed having him sit with her in church again. It felt like old times, happier times. She kept telling herself, and well, others too, that she wanted to be happy. She had been at small snippets in her life. She'd been happy once with Jack. That hadn't lasted, and he made no effort for it to last. She had tried, even after they'd both cheated on each other. She'd tried over and over. She loved being able to give Jack Ricky, hoping he would be content with his new baby, job, and family. It hadn't been enough for Jack, and he'd left. Two kids, even one of his own, Sharon, work-it hadn't stopped Jack from drinking and then even leaving. She knew how addiction worked; she'd seen it with Andy too. Once Jack left, she had tried to be happy with just her kids, and she was for a long time. When both finally were grown, she'd focused on her job, where, as much as she liked it, she wasn't necessarily happy. She was good at her job, but she knew she was hated in the LAPD. Just when she was starting to really struggle with the job, Andy came back into her life. They built on things slowly this time. It wasn't like their initial meeting 25 years prior when they had met and jumped into bed in the span of a couple weeks. That, Sharon knew, had been her revenge speaking, revenge against Jack, even if she had to admit she'd been strongly attracted to Andy. That attraction seemed to never go away because 25 years later when they started running into each other more and more at work, she found herself with the butterflies again.

Yes, her very first encounter with Andy 25 years ago, she'd gotten that butterfly feeling in her stomach. She hadn't been able to explain it then, that feeling. Back then, she chalked it up to her nerves, her knowing that she was cheating on Jack. Even after she had told Andy she couldn't see him anymore, those butterflies had continued, well, just in a slightly different form. They'd continued, well past the two weeks they'd spent together, first as a churning feeling she couldn't identify, and then eventually turning into small kicks from Emily, a different sort of the similar butterfly sensation. All of it, even the kicks from her unborn baby, had her always thinking about Andy. It had always been about Andy. Looking back, now as she aimlessly drove around, she didn't have those butterflies with Jack. Jack had been a charmer, and she'd fallen for it, the sweet college kid she'd been. Still, she'd been 100% committed to him, that is, until she walked in on him with another woman in their bed. She chalked the butterflies with Andy up to her just needing to feel wanted and loved. Andy had given her that in a two-week time period. She'd eagerly been swept up by him too, but after all these years, she realized she'd loved him. Yes, it sounded crazy that she could come to love someone that quickly, and maybe back then, she might not have realized it or acknowledged it. Now, she knew she did, or she had. A person didn't hold onto feelings like that, memories like that, when they didn't love someone. That was, in part, why the two were working so slowly on things when they had started dating more recently. Both seemed to realize there was a natural attraction there, a chemistry they couldn't deny, hadn't denied 25 years ago, and they wanted to get it right.

Sharon thought with their recent dating, they were getting it right, that is until New Year's Eve, when Jack's inability to keep a secret revealed everything. Sharon knew it wasn't all Jack to blame. She would have been in the wrong had she continued to move forward with Andy and not told him. That would only create tension until one day it blew up on her. Seeing things more clearly now, she realized that her relationship with Andy was doomed to fail this time, even if Jack had to be the one to do it. She should have been upfront with him all along, and she hadn't been.

Their dating had been going well, aside from the secret she was keeping, before Jack, mainly because they kept it completely out of work. Both Sharon and Andy were aware she was not well liked, and Andy knew of his reputation of a playboy. Provenza knew the two had started dating but at the time, he didn't know the whole story, their attraction and indiscretion from 25 years prior. After the fallout, Sharon suspected Andy had told Provenza the whole story, all 25 years of it. Sharon couldn't fault Andy for telling him. If she had a friend like Provenza was to Andy, she would have told that person too. Provenza didn't really like it, but he'd also told Andy he was a few divorces into giving dating advice.

When the two had started dating again, now almost two summers ago, it had been during an LAPD required picnic. Different division were slated for "mandatory fun" times, and Major Crimes and FID happened to be two of the units at this particular "required fun." They'd found themselves on the same softball team at the event, as Major Crimes and FID were paired to play against Traffic and SID. Sharon hadn't really wanted to play, but she'd promised her division she would. Throughout the game, she and Andy found themselves flirting with each other, sitting in the dugout next to each other when not batting, high fiving a good hit, and then even playing first and second base together. After that game, that day, Andy offered to walk Sharon out.

 _"It's been a long time," he offered, as the two walked to her car. "I should clarify it's been a long time since we spent time together without you having to reprimand me," he grinned._

 _Sharon chuckled, as they continued to walk. Neither had been able to park close to the event. "Yes, it has," she smiled at him. "A lot has changed too," she admitted._

 _"Yeah," he grinned. "My hair is gray, and I've added about 30 pounds. Let's not even discuss mobility because after today's game, I won't be able to move. I'd say the last time we spent any time together, I was a lot more buff."_

 _Sharon laughed at that, shaking her head, blushing, "Ahh, yes."_

 _Andy realized her mind must have gone back to their last time together with that comment about his being buff, "Ahh, geez," he scratched his head. "That's not what I meant. I mean, well, I meant I was younger and able to move better, not insinuating about our time together," he sighed. "I'd be lying, though, even after all these years, I didn't think of you, our time together, often, Sharon," he said, as he stopped and turned to face her. Sharon stopped too, trying to find her voice._

 _"I think of you too, a lot," she admitted, "constantly," she shrugged, looking to him._

 _"Well," he smiled a bit, "you're divorced, officially now, and I am too. I'm not drinking, and hmmm, what do you suggest?"_

 _"Dinner," Sharon nodded, flashing a bright smile. "I'd like to have dinner if you would. It's been almost 25 years, but it feels like old times."_

They'd had dinner, and it had felt like old times, the two laughing and talking as they hadn't been apart for decades. They talked until the restaurant closed, which was saying a lot for a sports bar. With their messy appearance from their mandatory fun day, it seemed like the most appropriate place for them. As they left dinner, which Andy refused to let Sharon pay, Sharon took hold of his hand as they walked from the building.

"Andy, I don't know exactly how to describe this, but I have really enjoyed tonight. It makes me realize I'm still very much attracted to you," she smiled sweetly at him in the dim parking lot.

"Oh, thank goodness," he sighed, clutching his chest. "I was having those same thoughts and didn't want to overstep, especially since we are both still working at the LAPD."

She stopped and turned, lacing both hands in his and smiled up at him, "So," repeating your words from earlier, "what do you suggest?" she teased.

He gave her his cheeky grin, "Dinner," he shrugged. "I'll cook you dinner another night, and maybe we can talk, hash this out?"

"I like that, Lieutenant," she said playing with his shirt. She ran her hand up the front of his shirt, almost wishing he had a tie to play with, and she smiled, "Are you still as good of a cook as I remember?"

"I might have picked up a few new recipes since then," he said, his hands on her elbows.

"Okay, with one condition," she said, "We have dinner, like you suggested, like old times," she teased, and he nodded, "but, we don't end the evening as we did 25 years ago. Let's take things slowly this time?" she offered.

"Deal, Captain," he nodded, leaning into kiss her cheek before he put her in the car and sent her home.

Sharon was pulled out of her memory with the blaring of a horn. She'd almost sat through a light, and she knew she must have some irritated drivers behind her now. She continued her drive, thinking about Andy, about their lives and how they'd made up for so much two years ago when they had started dating. That dinner at Andy's place had gone well. He'd moved in the 25 years since she'd last seen him, not that she expected he would have stayed in the dingy apartment she remembered from long ago. That had been temporary, a "get back on your feet" kind of place. From what Andy had told her, though, he ended up staying there quite a long time, years in fact, through most of his drinking phase. It was only after he got sober that he committed to a new life, a fresh start and bought his house. Sharon loved Andy's house, and as she thought about their happy memories there those few months they officially dated, she realized just how much she had loved Andy. Loved. She had, and she couldn't deny it. She had loved him, maybe for a much longer time than she imagined. She didn't know what she felt now, but she wasn't sure if it was love.

Was it love, now? She didn't know. She'd felt so hurt and so sad now for a long time, that love didn't seem to be part of any equation. She didn't like the idea of him dating someone else; that was for sure, but did that mean she loved him? As she continued to think about it, she started to understand why Andy was so irritated with her using the dating website. Now, as an astute police captain, that should have come to her a lot sooner, but while she was great at her job, she was terrible at her personal life, definitely a little slow to the draw on things. Taking almost two decades to divorce Jack defined slow to the draw.

Andy had ended it, though. He'd walked away from the life they were building, both agreeing they were "all in" only a couple of months after they had started dating. Their kids were starting to see it, teasing them both about spending so much time together. The kids had also joked that Andy and Sharon had better not get married before the kids all met, which both Andy and Sharon had just shrugged off, but they were headed in that direction, or they had been. They'd been in love, and for a lot of reasons, mostly that of deception, things had ended. Had their love?

Sharon parked in her condo building and started for the elevator. She was now getting irritated with herself, for letting herself reflect on the past. She was conflicted now, and that's not how she wanted to be with an upcoming date with John. He was a nice man, a man with whom she'd had a lovely date and was looking forward to today's date. In the back of her mind, though, a voice kept reminding Sharon that he wasn't Andy. No one was. Was that her insecurity talking, or did she still feel something for him? She wasn't sure. Was she just so comfortable knowing him that she couldn't envision life with anyone else? It didn't necessarily have to be John; she certainly had other prospects emailing her, wanting a date, which reminded her that she still needed to deal with Clay. The nerve of that guy; he didn't even sound sorry when he'd replied to her.

"Oh, I'm such an idiot!" she said aloud, stomping her foot in the elevator. She quickly punched a button, and the elevator opened, and she closed it again, heading back to the parking garage. As the elevator made its slow descent, she got more and more irritated the more she thought about Clay. She almost ran to her car, throwing the door open, and she tore out of her parking garage.

40 minutes later and still in one piece, even after breaking multiple speeding violations, she found herself not knocking, but pounding on the door. Once it opened, she unleashed her furry.

"Clay Gabriel? Really, did you think I wouldn't put that together?" she said in all her annoyance. Andy's surprise registered, and he simply opened the door, gesturing for her to come in.


	21. Chapter 21

As Sharon stomped into Andy's house, he sighed and took a deep breath. Okay, so maybe he'd gone a bit too far and should have just tried talking to her. Provenza had encouraged his behavior-the dating profile, not the talking, even coming up with the name. Andy thought back to that discussion.

 _"Provenza, she's using a dating website!" he'd called him completely out of breath._

 _"Flynn, what are you talking about, and why are you bothering me on the weekend. We don't have a dead body, and the Dodgers aren't playing today, so what's the problem?" he asked._

 _"She's using a dating website!" Andy said again, completely exasperated._

 _"Who? Emily? Nicole? Your sister? Who is 'she' and why are you so irritated?" he asked._

 _"Sharon!" Andy exclaimed. "Emily just called me and said Sharon is using a dating website!" he spelled out for Provenza._

 _"And?" Provenza said as he drew out the word. "I feel like a 13-year-old girl right now with you calling me with the latest gossip, but if I must spell this out to get back to my day, here you go-you broke it off with her, not that you didn't have reason, but you did. That was what, over a year ago now, Flynn? The two of you have barely been able to stand in the same room together, let alone get along. You've only recently started not screaming at each other, probably the only good thing to come of the ballerina's broken arm. You had to spend several days in New York together, and thankfully, neither of you were arrested for domestic issues. She's single, and I even have to admit, very attractive, but don't you worry-not my type. So, why after all this time, are you calling me so upset that a single adult female, with whom you are not involved, your baby mama and that's all she is at this point, is using a dating website?"_

 _Andy let out a frustrated sound into the phone, one that couldn't be described, "Because it's Sharon! She can't be using a dating website?"_

 _"Because?" Provenza baited him. Provenza hadn't been a detective for all these years without being aware of his surroundings._

 _"Because I said so!" Andy bellowed, and then he took a long deep breath. "Because I can't stand to see her do that. I don't want to see Sharon dating anyone."_

 _"I'll say it again….because-" Provenza stated, letting that out there to hang._

 _"I don't know why, Provenza! Because I don't like it!" he exclaimed._

 _"Oh, you are a better detective than that, Flynn. You know why-say it," Provenza said._

 _"Fine! Because I love her, and I don't want her dating anyone else. I'm so tired of being mad at her. I've not slept in over a year. I've gone through the full range of emotions, and I'm back to the point I don't want to be without her, but yes, we aren't together. She kept a huge secret from me, and that was enough to destroy us. I can't seem to work past forgetting about it, but I want to. What do I do with that?" he barked at Provenza._

 _"Order a pizza. I'll come over. We can sit around in our pajamas like a teenage girl slumber party and talk about the cute ones. Come on, Flynn! Get me some food so it's worth my while to come over there and talk your sorry self through this," Provenza said before he hung up the phone._

 _Andy was in worse shape than Provenza though when he arrived. He looked like he was ready to faint; he was pale and looked beside himself. Provenza realized Andy had it bad._

 _"So, what's this dating nonsense?" Provenza asked as he plopped down on the couch with a pack of beer. "Is that where she dug up the guy I've seen her with, the same guy we saw her getting into the elevator? Where's the pizza?"_

 _"It's coming!" Andy said, irritated. "Emily called me earlier. You know she's been on the outs with Sharon for quite some time. Well, she called me because she'd talked to Sharon, Mother's Day today, you know. Ricky had told her when he was trying to setup some chat. Emily made some comment about it didn't matter when they spoke to Sharon because she was always around, and Ricky let it slip that she was in and out of the house a lot more now because she was using this dating website. We put two and two together, and I told her about seeing Sharon going out Friday night. I was sick about that then! That dirt bag had his hands all over Sharon, and I don't like it! Add that to you seeing them at the Dodger game! I don't want Sharon going to fancy dinners or Dodger games, not without me!"_

 _"Why did Emily call you about it? Certainly, she's a grown woman and shouldn't be surprised to see her mom getting back out there," Provenza asked._

 _"She thought I would want to know! She asked me what I knew about it. Ricky setup Sharon with her account, and Emily asked if I'd heard anything about it. She's also a bit worried about her, even telling me that she had friends who had meet some real creeps using those websites. She might be irritated with Sharon, but she still loves her," Andy said._

 _"Ahh, the theme of the day!" Provenza exclaimed, earning a scowl from Andy. The pizza arrived, and the two took a few minutes to start eating before Provenza began the conversation again._

 _"What do you want from all this, Flynn? If you say you want the Captain, I might just throw up this pizza right here, right now," he pointed his finger on the coffee table, as to make a point. Andy stood and got the trash can._

 _"Here you go, then!" Andy exclaimed. "Go ahead, heave ho because fine, I want her back! I don't want her with anyone else. It kills me to think about that. Sharon with another guy, another guy with his hands on her. Oh, I think I'm going to be sick!" he said. "Pass me the trash can."_

 _"You expect her to just run back to you? Now, she messed up, I get that, but this whole problem between you two has been bad, really bad. I can't believe you've managed to keep the rest of the division from finding out, probably because they dislike her too and think your dislike is just because of work. It's not like you can just show up there and kiss and make up. You both have a lot of issues to work through, that is, if she'll even take your sorry self back. She's no Girl Scout either, as you've said. You still are mad about Emily, not that you don't have reason, but still. As much as I don't want to admit it, there's more at stake, try four kids, one of which is your bouncing baby girl you share with her. I get it, they are all grown, but your breakup a year ago affected them all, and this isn't going to just be the Brady Bunch again overnight. You'd better think very carefully about this because she hurt you too."_

 _"She did, but I'm finally seeing why! I've been talking to anyone who would listen, and Angela has really been helpful. I told you she and Sharon met in New York. Ang likes Sharon a lot, even with the whole Emily issue. Ang has helped me work through this to see that Sharon did the same thing Sandra did, just in a different way. Sharon protected Emily because I was a drunk, just as Sandra did. My kids' mothers protected my kids when they didn't need to be anywhere near me. I am sick over it; I wish it had been different, but it's the truth. Emily didn't see me as a drunk. Nicole and Nathan did. Emily and I are doing well as we get to know each other. Nicole and Nathan are struggling to rebuild things. I hate what Sharon did, but in a way, she did the right thing when I was too attached to the bottle to see anything else. Sandra did the right thing, even though I've been bitter and angry about it for decades. This is such a mess!" Andy rambled, running his hands through his hair._

 _"Well, welcome to rock bottom, Flynn," Provenza smacked him on the back. "You're there, this time sober, so now what?"_

 _"How do I get Sharon back before she's gone?" he asked._

 _Provenza thought a few moments, "Have you considered finding her on this dating website and setting up your own date? Maybe you could charm her that way?"_

 _"If she doesn't want to talk to me now, she won't respond to a request from me either," Andy said, now a bit calmer._

 _"No, Flynn! Not like that, you idiot! I mean, setup a fake profile, someone she doesn't know is you," he encouraged._

 _Andy thought a moment, nodding, "That's not a bad idea. Oh, I've got a better idea. Maybe this fake profile stands her up, makes her see that dating these losers isn't the best idea."_

 _Provenza waved a hand at him, "That's on you. I like my idea better, but you take responsibility for your own actions there."_

 _Andy jumped up and went in search of his computer. Once he found it, it took a couple of minutes to get onto the Internet. "So, you mean to tell me, the Captain, has her profile on her?" Provenza said with a bit of a chuckle._

 _"Apparently," Andy said. "I've been too worked up to find it." After a few minutes texting back and forth with Emily, which in turn, caused her to text Ricky, Andy had his information. Ricky didn't know what Emily was doing with it, so he had no idea what Andy was doing, but Andy explained to Emily that he was worried about Sharon. Too many creeps stalked these pages, and he was worried for her safety. It took a few minutes, but Andy and Provenza finally found Sharon's profile. They scanned it, and then Andy read it again._

 _"I can't believe she's doing this," Andy ran his hands through his hair again._

 _"Well, setup your own profile and send her a message," he said._

 _"No! I can't do it right now. That's too obvious. We just saw her Friday, the kids talked about it with her today. No, I need to wait. I need to figure out if she's going out again this week," he said._

 _"Well, you can at least create a profile. Now, let's give you a name. Oh, who could you be? Let's think of our most annoying murderer we've had," he suggested._

 _"I'm not giving myself the name of a murderer! That's sick!" Andy exclaimed._

 _"Fine, then pick the name of someone you know," Provenza suggested._

 _Andy shook his head, "No, she's too smart for that, and we know a lot of the same people."_

 _"Okay, use a first name of someone and a last name of someone, even from work. She won't get that," he offered._

 _"Yeah, but Julio Provenza would stick out a little. So, would Buzz Tao or Fritz Sanchez, and well, you get it. That's not going to work," Andy huffed._

 _"I've got it! Use Chief's dad's name, Clay. They were just here. That's a decent name to use, and she won't remember that one," he offered._

 _Andy had a dumbfounded look on his face, and he nodded. "Yeah, that one works. Clay what?" he asked. "Sanchez, Tao, Watson-" he was cut off._

 _"Use Gabriel. That's common enough it shouldn't arouse suspicion. You stare at Gabriel all day, and that name doesn't raise any red flags."_

 _Andy nodded, "Okay, fine. I'll use that and setup my profile, but I'm going to wait to send her a message."_

"Is there a reason you haven't closed the door, Clay?" Andy was snapped out of his memory, the conversation with Provenza, and he turned back to find a very angry Sharon with her arms crossed, ready to battle. He could see it; she was fuming, and he was the cause. Oh, but she was here, at least she was here. He took a deep breath and closed the door softly as he turned to face her.


	22. Chapter 22

"Sharon, I can explain," he started as he held up his hand to hopefully calm her. It didn't work.

"Explain! You, you, you," she was fuming so badly, she couldn't even speak. "Ugh!" she exclaimed. "Andy, how could you? You set up a fake profile to mess with me? That's horrible. I can't believe you would be so nasty. I don't know what you have against a dating website, but to set me up like that; it's just mean!"

They were interrupted by the door opening. Both faces turned quickly to find Provenza just walking in. "Flynn! There you are. Why haven't you been answering your phone? I've been trying to call you for over an hour to tell you I was on my way over to pick you up. Oh," he stopped, when he finally looked up and saw that Andy and Sharon were standing there, obviously in the middle of something.

"Well, well, well," Sharon said crossing her arms again, glaring at Provenza, "if it isn't Clay's best friend," she said with extreme sarcasm. She looked to Andy, "I'm assuming he knows or helped plan this whole scheme of yours."

"Oh," Provenza nodded, rocking back on his heels, as he put his hands in his pockets. "I'll come back later," he offered.

"Oh, no!" Sharon exclaimed. "Freeze, Lieutenant," she said, and both he and Andy met eyes. Andy just closed his and shook his head at Provenza before both men turned back to Sharon.

"Captain, I'm guessing you figured out Flynn's plan here?" Provenza said, hoping to diffuse her.

"I'm not as dumb a detective as you might think, Lieutenant. Of course, I figured it out. What I can't figure out is why on earth you two are trying to sabotage my happiness? Is that it? You don't want me to be happy? Andy," she sighed, shaking her head.

"Of course, not, Sharon! I mean, that's not the reason! Of course, I want you to be happy!" Andy started to say with a lot of irritation in his voice.

"Flynn! Shut up for once! Now, you two," Provenza gestured, "I'm taking over. Sit down. We've only got a few minutes, Flynn because I stopped here to grab your sorry self. We've caught a murder, and you won't answer your phone, otherwise I wouldn't have to play high school mediator here."

"Oh," Andy said with a questionable look on his face. "Oh, sorry," he said, shaking his head. "I turned off my ringer in church."

"Church," Provenza grumbled. "I can only guess WHO you attended church with today?"

Sharon looked over at Provenza and shook her head, sighing. Neither was sitting like Provenza had instructed but both had been ushered closer together so he could chew them out in close proximity.

"Now, you listen here," he pointed to them. "I'm tired of this mess. It's affect him," he hooked a hand toward Andy, "at work. That affects me, and that irritates me. Add to that, that Captain, whenever you walk into our Murder Room, you can cut the tension with a knife. I'd tell you to figure it out now, but we've got to get to work, that is, unless, you want Chief all over this. You get Chief involved, and you know Taylor and Pope will follow, and within the hour, the entire LAPD will be all over you two. Your dancing ballerina will be a secret no more, and all of your past, will be out in the open. So, reign it in, both of you. Flynn, get ready for work. Captain, you may outrank me when at work, but we're not working standing here in Flynn's house, not you and me together right now, so put a lid on this until Flynn gets done with his shift."

Provenza looked at the two, and both stood glaring at each other. Neither was moving. Sharon was dumbfounded, and Andy was just shaking his head.

"Oh, and Captain, regarding your question of why Flynn did what he did, duh! How can you see through idiots at work and all the lying they do, but be so dense here? Flynn's still in love with you, and judging by your anger and all, I'd say the same was true with you. Now, I'm no fan of your little situation, but you two need to work it out with each other because I don't think either of you will be happy without the other."

"Provenza!" Andy exclaimed, turning toward Sharon at Provenza's revelation. She stood there, eyes closed.

"I'm going to wait in the car, Flynn. I drove over here to get you because you wouldn't answer. You're making us both late now, so get a move on it," he said. "Captain," he smirked as he walked by her to the door. He closed it, leaving Sharon and Andy standing there, not looking at each other.

"Obviously, we have to table this," he said with an irritated tone. "Would you just wait a minute while I throw on my suit? I'd just changed out of it from church before you got here, so it will only take a minute. In fact, follow me, and we can continue this while I get ready."

Sharon stood rooted in her spot, "Andy, you've got to stay out of my life."

He started back to his room and called out again, "Not discussing all of this now, Sharon," he said. Sharon groaned as she held her face in her hands, and she reluctantly followed him down the hall.

"Look," he said, as he was changing his shirt. He'd noticed Sharon had walked to his doorway, and thankfully, he noticed she wasn't fuming like she had been. Provenza's interruption could turn into a blessing in disguise. "I don't want you using a dating website. I know you don't understand my reasoning, but I don't."

"Why don't you?" she crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes on him. "Andy, it's not your decision. We were over a year ago."

"Yeah, biggest mistake of my life," he sighed, as he sat down to put on his socks. "Sharon, I know we don't have time for this, but please, I beg you, can we sit down and talk about this? I'm worried about your safety too, aside from anything I feel. Please," he sighed. "Look, Emily's worried sick about you too. She's called me almost every day, even though I know she's still giving you the cold shoulder. Look, I'm sorry for creating the account. It wasn't my best idea, Provenza's either, but seeing you with another man, I just," he hung his head. "Sharon, I'm still so in love with you, I can't see straight. The past year and a half has just been terrible, and I really want to talk this through with you."

Sharon sighed, loudly enough that Andy heard her. He looked to her, and her anger wasn't visible. He was sure it was still there, but for now, he saw he'd broken through to her, at least for the moment.

"Andy, I don't even know what to say right now. I'm so irritated with you and your stupid ideas," she closed her eyes.

"Let me go to work, and please let me come by later. Hopefully, we won't be there overnight. Look, Sharon, I know this isn't going to work itself out in an hour, a day even, but we've got to start somewhere," he offered.

He looked to Sharon, and she just nodded, "Okay," she said simply. Andy had stood again and was putting on his suit jacket to go to work. He grabbed his badge and gun, attaching everything, and Sharon moved out of the way when he started out of the room. He moved through the house, collecting his wallet and cell phone from the kitchen. Sharon stood in the doorway area to the living room, just watching and processing.

"I've got to go," he said. Sharon nodded. She didn't have a purse or anything with her; she'd flown out of her car like a tornado tearing across Andy's yard. She wasn't even sure if she'd shut her car door. "Just lock up when you leave," he instructed her. She was about to argue with him that she'd walk out right now, and he put up his hand to silence her. "Look, take a minute, collect yourself. Last thing you need to be doing is driving around this city with all the maniac drivers and be distracted, Sharon. You know how to lock up. I'll call you later because we are going to hash this out," he said as he moved to the front door.

"Andy," she called out as he started to open the door. "Andy, I know I've loved you for a long time. We both know that, but I just don't know if it's enough anymore."

He nodded and shrugged, closing the door as he left. Suddenly, Sharon found herself alone in Andy's house, a place a few hours ago she never thought she'd see again. Now, she didn't know what she was going to do. Less than an hour earlier, she'd blown in, intent on going rounds with Andy, and now, she suddenly felt defeated.


	23. Chapter 23

**Thanks for reading and sticking with this story. I was asked how long it would be-I don't know. I don't plan chapters; I just have an idea in my head where I would like things to go and write that. Also, I know a few have asked about the fanfiction error/lack of updates. I don't have any news on that. I sent fanfiction an email telling them I was having issues, as were other writers, but I haven't heard back yet. I normally get an email when I post each chapter, and I'm not getting that either, so thank you for putting in the effort to find the story updates! I'll keep writing, so check back periodically.**

* * *

Sharon wasn't sure how long she stood there in Andy's living room, but she had to sit down. She sat for a few minutes, or maybe longer, composing herself. It was all such a blur. Andy didn't want her using the dating site because he loved her still? He was masking that saying he was worried about her using it, which she was sure he was on some level, but he'd said he loved her still. She shouldn't be surprised by that; she knew she loved him, but she was so tired of the messiness, the back and forth. She just wanted to be happy, and she wasn't sure what that even meant anymore. Surely, being happy shouldn't have to be this hard. Happy. She'd been happy on her date with John the other night. John! Oh, she still had a date with him, and she wasn't sure how she felt about that. She checked her watch and still had an hour and a half until she had to meet him. Quickly, she stood and left Andy's house, making sure to lock up as she left. She wasn't sure what she was going to do, but she had time on her drive back to the condo to decide.

Sharon tried to work through everything on her drive home. She still wanted to meet John; she'd really liked him, and she had to see today's date through. Then, there was Andy. She did love Andy, but she knew she couldn't keep fighting. She just couldn't. She'd tried to compare it to Jack, but there was no comparison. By the end, she wasn't in love with Jack; he'd ruined that. She wanted to believe she'd been in love with him at the end, but even that had disappeared. Now, she knew she still loved Andy. Could she love someone else? Was that possible now? Was John a new door to open for her? She wasn't sure, but she needed to figure it out.

"Sharon," he smiled as she hustled up to him; she had been running a bit late, and she hated running late.

"Sorry I'm late," she said, out of breath. She knew she must look flustered too.

"Everything okay?" he asked, noticing she was out of breath.

She just sighed, "Long story, but I'm very glad to be here."

"Great, let's see a movie," he smiled.

Sharon let him pick the movie because she wasn't sure she could focus anyway. Between thinking about Andy and thinking about her time here and now with John, she could have seen a cartoon, and it wouldn't have made a difference. The found their seats and settled in without time to do much talking. The movie started right away, and Sharon tried to relax.

"Okay, if I put my arm around you?" John asked, with Sharon a bit surprised. She hummed at him, and once they were settled, she moved a bit closer. He played with her hair through some of the movie, and that only reminded her of times Andy had done that. She tried to put that out of her mind, considering a different man was sitting with her doing that, but it wasn't working. Funny, she'd never thought of Jack while dating Andy, yet she couldn't put Andy out of her mind.

The movie ended, and Sharon realized that she had to decide what was going to happen next. She'd enjoyed her time with him, but a movie wasn't a great place to talk and get to know one another.

"Would you like to come back to my condo for coffee?" she asked, surprising herself with her question.

"Sure," John smiled brightly at her. "Do you live far?"

"No, I'm not that far from here. I'll text you the address so you can meet me there if that works?" she suggested.

"Sounds great. I'll see you there," he nodded.

"I'll wait in the lobby; there's visitor parking out front," she told him.

That gave Sharon the drive home to think a little more. She wasn't sure she was ready to give up John, and she wasn't sure she was ready to move on from Andy. She couldn't have it both ways; she couldn't keep both men in limbo. Andy had hurt her, but she'd hurt him. John was exciting, but was that because he was a breath of fresh air, or was there something special about him that could make him a keeper? Sharon didn't know, but she hoped coffee at the condo would help.

Sharon waited in her lobby and a few minutes later, John arrived. They took the elevator to her floor, and he took her hand in his as they rode up. She didn't pull back, but she was feeling a bit out of sorts. Once they were in the condo, she repeated her offer.

"I'll make some coffee, if you like," she suggested, and he nodded.

"Sounds great. Thanks. Wow, you have quite a view of the city from here," he said as he made his way over to the windows. Sharon moved into her kitchen, settling herself as she prepared the coffee. She'd picked up a few brownies at the store the day before, so she put those on a plate to eat as well. John walked around the living room, taking in her artwork and pictures.

"I see you like the ballet," he offered.

"Yes, my daughter, Emily, is a professional ballerina," she explained.

"Oh, that's right. I knew you mentioned she lived in New York. That all clicks now," he smiled. "I'm sure she's amazing to watch."

"She is," Sharon smiled with great pride. "I love it very much. Sometimes, though, I still see the four-year-old who was just starting out."

"Hmm, sometimes they still seem like babies," he nodded. "Does she perform a lot?"

Sharon smiled as she worked in the kitchen. He was now sitting at the bar area to talk to her. "She does," Sharon smiled again. She always liked talking about her kids. "In fact, she starts a new show next week, and it runs through the summer."

"Ahh," he raised his eyebrows, "do you get to see it?"

"No," she sighed, looking down. "I don't think I'll be able to get to New York. Her brother and father will see it though," she added.

"Oh, well, I'm sorry you won't be able to go, but it's nice she's got that support from her family."

"Yes," Sharon gritted her teeth a bit. She really didn't want to dive into a conversation about her family now. "The coffee is ready; would you like to sit somewhere more comfortable?"

The two settled on the couch with a respectable, yet now awkward distance between them. They took a few moments to sip their coffee before John began again.

"I'm looking at this picture here of your kids, and I don't see much of you in them," he said.

Sharon nodded, "Yes, if I hadn't been there for the delivery myself, I don't think I would have said they were mine," she smiled. "Both look like their dads."

"I'm sure with the kindness of their mother," he smiled at the compliment he'd offered her. She returned the smile. John changed topics. "So, if you had a say, or a predication, what are you looking for in this whole dating scene, if you don't mind my asking? It's okay if you don't know, but I like to put that on the table. Are you looking to date someone long term, short term, possibly more, what are your thoughts?" he asked.

Sharon was taken by surprise, "Well, I'm not exactly sure. I guess the best answer I can give is I want to be happy, whatever that entails. I haven't been happy in a long time."

He nodded as he sipped on his coffee, "That's fair," he added. "I can appreciate you not putting a definition to being happy. That can include a lot of things for a lot of people."

"Yes, it can," she nodded. "What about you? You mentioned you've been trying your hand at this dating site for awhile now. What do you want?"

"Easy-well, easy to say, but not necessarily easy to find," he started. "I want someone to love and someone who loves me back. I want passion and romance. I want a beautiful woman on my arm that I am madly in love with," he admitted. "Sorry, that probably sounds really forward, even a bit strange for a guy, but that's what I want. I've been divorced so long. I just want that passion with someone. I apologize if that made you uncomfortable," he explained.

Sharon was a bit surprised, but she said quickly, "No, I think I understand. You are right, though, that when you've been alone so long, it's easy to want that passion and love. I get that."

"Do you?" he asked, eyes perking up.

"I do," Sharon nodded and before she could say another word, John closed the distance and kissed her. She was a bit surprised, but she quickly became a willing participant and kissed him back. When they broke apart, he smiled at her.

"I'm making a terrible mistake," Sharon said so softly she almost whispered it. He still heard it and pulled back.

"What's that?" he asked. She shook her head, looking down.

"I'm sorry. I can't do this," she gestured between them. "I like you a lot, very much in fact," she sighed, as tears formed, "but, it's not enough," she shrugged. "I like you a lot, but I'm still in love with someone else."

"Wait?' he questioned. "I thought you were single?"

She sighed, as her eyes met his, "I am. I was," she shrugged. "I'm still in love with Emily's dad. I almost don't want to be," she gave a small smile. "It's messy, and I'm not even sure we can work through everything, but I am not being fair to you, or to him, if I try to continue with this," she admitted. "I'm sorry."

He sat back even further, "Wow," he rubbed his hand over his face. "Well, you've been honest with me from the start, so I can't fault that," he stated.

"I'm sorry," she touched his hand. "Truly, I wouldn't have continued with any of this had I really realized it. It was just now, kissing you, that I knew I couldn't give this my all."

"So, I won't add terrible kisser to my profile, check," he sighed.

"No!" she squeezed his hand. "You're a great kisser, which is the hard part," she offered another smile. "I'm just drawn to someone else, crazy as it may be."

"Okay," he nodded, and Sharon stood when he did. "Sharon, it's been wonderful to meet you. You are truly a classy lady, fantastic in so many ways. This guy is a lucky one; I hope he knows that, and I hope you can be happy as you said, whatever that means."

"I do too," she nodded. "I don't know what that means yet. We're still in the yelling at one another stage, so I don't know if that means we agree to be friends or more," she shrugged.

"Good luck," he gave her a quick hug and made his way to the door. "Maybe I'll run into you sometime," he said.

"Maybe," she said, closing the door once he left. She put her hand to her mouth. He had been a good kisser, a very good kisser. BUT, he wasn't Andy, and that she couldn't get past. The question remained if she and Andy could ever work through all their issues-their anger, resentment, hurt, and even each of their own stubbornness to create something more? She didn't know, but letting John go was a hard decision. He was a good one; she knew that. Now, what to do with Andy?


	24. Chapter 24

After John left, Sharon didn't know what to do. She was antsy, so she started cooking. It wasn't her favorite thing to do, but that's partly why she did it. It made her focus; she couldn't cook easily, so she had to focus. Sharon wanted to prepare some food for the busy week ahead, so it seemed like a good idea. It was around 9:30 when she got her first text message from Andy.

"Still working. Chief plans to keep us here late, probably midnight or later, so as much as I want to sit down and talk, tonight won't be the night. I'm sorry. I wanted to get in touch earlier, but it's been crazy. Please don't think I'm not thinking about you-furthest thing from the truth. I can't stop thinking about you. I'm going to go before Provenza confiscates my phone. Get some rest, and I'll talk to you soon."

Sharon stared at the phone, pondering her response. She wasn't really surprised to hear Andy wouldn't be able to stop by; it was the nature of the beast, and they both knew what a new case entailed right away. She started typing.

"Don't stress too much, and make sure you stop to eat. I'll wait. Goodnight."

Andy read her response, but as she suspected, he didn't type another one. She knew how busy he must be. She continued with her food prep for the week and finished just after 10:00. Sharon decided to turn in for the night, going about her nightly routine. She had a long week of work ahead herself, not to mention now at some point, sitting down to talk to Andy.

Sharon awoke the next morning exhausted. She hadn't slept well; she had a lot on her mind, but she felt like she'd cleared her mind a little. She still wasn't sure how things would work out with Andy, but they'd both agreed to try, to sit and talk. Right now, that was all she could focus on, and she knew focusing at work was going to be hard. She had decided last night to make a little effort. Yes, they had both made mistakes, and each could argue they didn't deserve to give the other a second chance, but she was hoping for a fresh start, to wipe the slate clean. That didn't mean they weren't going to hash things out, but if they worked at it, she hoped they could mend fences. Ultimately, Sharon loved Andy, and she loved him enough to let other men go. At the end of the day, she did want him. Period. They had a lot of work to do, and with all their stubbornness and tempers, it wasn't a guarantee they would be able to work everything out.

She collected her things, including the food she'd packed up for Andy. She'd leave it in the refrigerator on his floor and send him a text. Even if they were going to try again at some point, they weren't planning to spill it to the LAPD, so she knew they both had to be careful. She'd packed him some food, knowing he most likely either didn't eat last night or had really greasy, unhealthy food he would have hated. Once he dragged himself to work this morning, that is if Chief Johnson ever sent them home, he'd be hungry. Sharon glanced at her watch; she was almost running late, despite she'd gotten up early. Somewhere during her morning, she'd lost track of time. She collected everything, opened her door, and promptly tripped and fell.

"What in the world?" she said, still disoriented. Had she broken a shoe?" Sharon glanced in front of her, seeing her purse and belongings scattered. "Andy!" she turned, noting she'd tripped over him. He was camped outside her door, sitting on the floor, fast asleep. He started to stir when she tripped over him, and suddenly, he realized what had happened.

"Oh, no, Sharon!" he exclaimed, trying to move out from her now that she was sprawled over his legs. The two climbed apart looking ridiculous on her condo hallway floor.

"What are you doing?" she said, as she righted her glasses and turned back to him. He was using the wall to help himself stand up.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Chief sent us home after 2:00. I drove here because I was hoping to catch you before you went to work," he sighed, offering his hand now to help her stand. She did, brushing off her clothes and straightening her skirt. She checked her heels to make sure she hadn't broken one.

"I'd say you caught me," she groaned, smoothing down her hair.

"Obviously, this wasn't the plan," he groaned. "I'm sorry. I had no plans to be a creepy stalker and trip you on your way out the door." Sharon finally had herself put back together and took a good look at Andy.

"Oh, Andy," she sighed. "You look terrible. Did you sleep at all? Here," she opened her door, "come inside for a minute." Sharon pulled him into the condo, putting her purse and food on the entryway table and nodding to him. "Why don't you go freshen up? I'm going to get you a glass of orange juice."

"Yeah," he rubbed his hand over his face, "Okay."

Andy reappeared a few minutes later. Sharon was standing in her kitchen at the stove. He came around the corner, rubbing his neck.

"Are you okay?" he asked, as he continued to rub his neck. "I was so out of it, I didn't even ask if you were okay. Here you are leaving for work, and I put you flat on your face. I'm sorry," he shook his head.

"I'm okay," she said, "a little rattled, but okay. Sit," she used her spatula to point at the barstool. Andy sat, still trying to wake up.

"I feel terrible. That wasn't my intention at all. My goodness, Sharon, I could have hurt you! You could have broken something," he rambled.

"Hey, I'm not that old," she said, turning again. "If you even start to say I could have broken a hip, just, just don't," she groaned.

He covered his face with his hand again, trying to wipe the sleep away. "What are you doing now?" he said, looking around.

"Making you some eggs. You look terrible, you didn't sleep, and I'm guessing you didn't eat. Have that juice there," she nodded. "I poured my coffee out of my travel mug too, so drink that," she pointed to the cup of coffee.

"Sharon," he sighed as he shook his head. "I didn't show up here for your restaurant services."

"I know," she added, "but you need to start somewhere, and nourishment is it. I've got a fresh pot of coffee on," she nodded to the pot, which Andy hadn't even noticed, "and, I know you like scrambled eggs. You can eat those. It's not much, but it's a start."

"I guess that might be the theme of the day, your statement, there," he said, causing Sharon to turn toward him as she finished up the eggs. "It's not much, but it's a start. Sharon, I think we have a lot of talking to do, which I want to do, but I also want to start over."

"Andy," Sharon said, putting down the spatula and turning her full attention to him. "Andy," she started again, "I think we have to. We have to lay everything on the table and start from scratch, no just trying to repair and pick up where we left off."

"I'm willing to try, Sharon," he said. "I need to try."

"I do too," she said softly. She turned back to the stove and grabbed the plate she'd set next to it, scooping the eggs onto it. "Andy, I need to start over because the other option is to walk away right now. We both tried that, well, we both had to, and that hasn't gone well."

"Agree," he said, taking the eggs. "Thank you for this," he nodded to them.

"You're welcome," she said, walking toward him where he was seated at the counter. She put her hands on his and met his gaze, "I'm willing to try," she offered a slight smile and shrug. He nodded in return, moving his hands so he could squeeze hers.

"I am too, and I know it's not going to be easy," he added.

"Eat your eggs, Lieutenant. I've got to get to work, and you need to shower and change. You're right; it won't be easy, but it will be even harder if we keep on the way we are."

"Yes, Captain," he nodded, holding up his bite of eggs, "and you're right about it being even harder. While I shouldn't have slept at your doorway, I think I had a more restful sleep than I've had in a year."

"Andy," she sighed.

"It's true. I felt closer to you just sleeping at your door. At first, I planned to just drive home, and then I got tired. Then, I thought I would stop here and wait for you. I really didn't plan to fall asleep, but I should have known that anytime I sit and am tired-" he was cut off.

"You fall asleep. You can't sit down and get 15 minutes into a movie when you are this tired before you pass out," she said. "Andy, why didn't you call me?"

"I didn't want to be a bother. I've already been a stalker, which I know sitting at your door only adds to the charges. I wanted to surprise you this morning, take you to breakfast. Having you fall over me and cook me breakfast was not in my plan. Obviously, I need to work on my technique."

"Yes, well," she shrugged, "good intentions I guess, THIS TIME," she emphasized. "Andy, one thing that bothers me before we both head out, you were so up in arms about my dating anyone, why in the world is there the double standard?"

"Double standard?" he asked, looking visibly confused.

"I saw you at the restaurant! You were on a date! That was no coincidence, although, we'll have to hash that out another time. What is going on with that? Who was she?" Sharon asked.

"Oh," Andy frowned. "I didn't know you saw us," he added. Sharon crossed her arms, waiting for an answer.

"Of course, I saw you!" Sharon said, trying to keep her cool. "I'm sorry," she calmed down. "I don't want to argue."

"Look," he sighed, digging out his phone. Sharon stood there curiously watching whatever he was doing. He made a call. "Hey, yeah, I'm fine. Work all night. Ahh, I need you to recap our date," he said. Sharon was even more confused when he handed her the phone. "Take it," he encouraged.

Sharon scowled as she took the phone, "Hello?" she said with question in her voice.

"Sharon?" she heard and pulled back the phone to look at it, as if looking at it would produce the person on the other end. She looked at Andy with question again.

"Angela," he shrugged. "She's in town. I'm sure she wants to talk to you."

"Angela?" Sharon said into the phone. "I'm sorry; Andy just shoved the phone at me," she said, as she shook her head at him. He just shrugged and ate the last of his eggs.

"Sharon, is everything okay?" Angela asked. "What's Andy need me to do? Date?" she asked.

Sharon took a deep breath, "He didn't tell me you were in town. Everything is okay. We are just hashing out a few things."

"Sharon, Andy's told me everything, and I hope you two are talking. I'd love to get together while I am in town. I'll be here another week."

"I'd like that too," Sharon added, completely shocked by the phone call. She almost didn't know what to say. "I'll hand you back over to Andy."

"Hey," he grumbled as he stood and took his plate to the sink to clean it and deposit it in the dishwasher. "I should be home within the hour. I've got to shower and change before I go back into work. Yeah," he said, as Sharon could tell he was listening to her. "I'll tell her."

He hung up, and he turned to Sharon, "There was no date, well, unless your sister counts as a date, but I hope not," he made a face.

"I, I, um, I didn't recognize her," Sharon admitted.

He just shrugged. "I was worried about you, and I had a feeling you would go to dinner. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. It was at dinner, Angela pointed out, that maybe I wasn't just worried about your safety, but maybe I was worried about losing you. I've done a lot of talking and thinking the last couple weeks," he sighed. "I'm sorry if I came across as being too possessive," and when he caught her gaze, "Okay, I was too possessive."

"Andy, I appreciate the explanation, I do," she softly smiled. "I do have to get to work. I'm late, not that I didn't have good reason."

"I'm sorry again," he sighed, grabbing his suit coat that he'd hung on the dining room chair. "I don't know how long I'll be at work tonight."

"I know," she admitted.

"Listen, if you are interested, and it's not too weird, Ang really likes you. She asked me to pass along that she'd love to get together with you, so maybe if I'm working, you two might catch up? It's up to you, and don't feel like you have to do that at all."

"I'll see how my schedule is today, but I would like to see her before she leaves," Sharon offered a smile. "I think I still have her number."

"I'll send it to you, just in case," he said.

Andy walked with Sharon to the door, where she picked up her things again, "Oh, I was going to leave this for you in your fridge at work," she handed him a lunchbox full of food. "Let's just say after the hallway, it's definitely a tossed salad."

He groaned at her bad joke, and she just chuckled, shrugging. The two made their way to the elevator, and they were quiet on the ride down. Once they reached the bottom floor, they turned to part. "Have a good day at work, Sharon," he squeezed her hand. Sharon nodded to him, squeezing his.

"You too, Andy," she smiled. "I will talk to you later."

Sharon wasn't out of the parking garage when she got a text from Andy. She read it when her car came to a stop at the exit.

"Here's Ang's number in case you don't have it." Sharon looked to the label, and he'd called it, 'My #3 Lady' and Sharon read under the label, "I hope you can stay in the number one spot. Emily's a close second, but it's her mother I'm not sure I can live without."


	25. Chapter 25

**Short, but well, Sharon would like to say it's sweet...**

* * *

He knew it couldn't be good. In fact, he was preparing for trouble. He was a tad concerned when Chief Johnson said he'd been summoned, but he was really worried when she said both he and Provenza had been summoned.

"Great, just great, Flynn," Provenza muttered as the two got onto the elevator. Andy frowned at him and rolled his eyes.

"You're the one who came up with it!" he exclaimed.

"You think it's about that?" he asked. "She'd go there at work?"

Andy turned with a scowl, "Oh, yeah. She'll go there. She and I both said this, whatever we are trying to work out, wasn't going to be a cakewalk. Here we go," he said, irritated.

"Well, what do you think she told Chief? Surely, she wouldn't have told her what is really going on?" Provenza said, as the elevator reached the floor of doom.

"Knowing her, she came up with something, and no, she wouldn't have said a word about the real story. Get ready; it's not going to be pretty," he sighed, opening the glass door to the FID floor. The secretary looked up, nodded to the two, and gestured.

"She said for you both to go right in," the secretary explained, both Provenza and Andy rolling their eyes that they were that well known on this floor.

"Ahh, lieutenants," Sharon said without looking up from her desk. She was signing some paperwork, "Sit, please," she nodded to the chairs. Andy wondered how she could do that. A couple hours ago, she'd tripped over him and then made him breakfast. Now, his skin was crawling with the death stare he could almost feel, even though he knew she wasn't even looking his way.

Provenza slumped down in the chair, scowling, and Andy took his time, sitting a bit more gingerly. Sharon finished whatever she was doing and looked up at the two.

"Now, gentlemen, it's come to my attention that you two aren't just up for the yearly renewal of your Cybercrime/Internet protocol course. The rest of your division is up for the refresher course. Normally, that course is just a refresher, a half a day, but every now and then, people are up for the full course. Now, we can't locate your paperwork in the review of your files, you know, just how my people make sure everyone's credentials and required HR courses are up to date. So, with that in mind, we have openings for both of you to get up to date in that area. The technology liaison is doing the full course next week. It is five days long, and they run it from 3:00-9:00 so that you can still get in the majority of your workday. I checked with Chief Johnson, explaining neither of your files could be located, and she's agreed that you can come in by 7:00 each morning and leave at 2:30 to get to your class, giving you 14 hour days next week, that is provided you don't catch a case. If you do, you're still expected to report to the class and then back to whatever duty Chief Johnson requires. I'm so happy she's being so accommodating considering this oversight," Sharon offered her best smile, folding her hands on her desk.

Andy looked to Provenza, and Provenza cleared his throat as if he was going to speak. Andy's eyes grew wide, and he shook his head, indicating for his friend to shut his mouth. Both men turned back to Sharon.

"Ahh, anything else, Captain?" Andy said, avoiding eye contact.

"No," Sharon said, picking up the paperwork. "Here is everything you need for your cyber class, and gentlemen, do pay attention and learn something. That will be all."

Andy stood while Provenza snatched the paperwork from Sharon. She went back to her work, and as they left her office, she called out, "Have a good day, gentlemen."

Andy and Provenza waited until they were on the elevator before Provenza put his hands over his head in anguish, "This is just my luck!"

"Your luck? You suggested the online dating thing!" Andy exclaimed.

"You just have to be involved with her," Provenza scowled again. "I swear, Flynn, anyone else in the LAPD, and it has to be her. I almost can't believe she really went through with this."

"Oh, I can," Andy almost chuckled, putting his hands in his pockets. "She's pissed; I have no doubt. She could technically say we were stalking an LAPD officer online," he groaned.

"Do you realize we have a 70-hour work week next week with just the required hours alone? That doesn't account for any actual case we get, and knowing her, I'm sure in this paperwork, there's some stipulation about how it's not counted in overtime!" Provenza complained.

"Oh, I'm sure it's in there too," he said, gesturing for the packet of paperwork Sharon had handed them. They reached their floor again, both men visibly irritated by their encounter.

"What happened to you two?" Mike asked, noting both men came in and slumped down in their chairs.

"Raydor, that's who happened," Provenza complained.

"What did you do this time, Lieutenants?" Julio grinned.

"The Cybercrime/Internet protocol course-we have to do the full thing. Our paperwork seems to be misplaced," Andy explained, hoping that there wouldn't be a lot of questions if he just went along with how Sharon had described it.

"Really?" Mike asked. "I know we've done that all before," he said puzzled.

"Yeah, well, lucky us," Provenza complained. "Can we please get back to work? My crossword isn't going to finish itself, and I can't get back to it until we solve this case."

Brenda sent the team home around 8:30 that night. They were awaiting warrants, and they wouldn't be able to make much progress until the morning. Andy called Sharon as soon as he got into his car and out of the parking garage.

"Yes?" she said in the form of a question when she answered.

"How was your day?" he asked. Oh, they still needed to talk, but he knew she was going to put him in his place. After everything, he knew he deserved it.

"Hmm, typical. Rotating door of patrol officers and detectives who made different errors in judgement," she said. "Yours?"

"Ready to solve this case. Kink in my neck; I didn't sleep well. Little hiccup when I found out I'll be working overtime next week and not earning any overtime, but it happens. Great lunch, though. That kept me going all day," he added.

Sharon sighed, "Andy, you know you crossed the line with your little stunt. You and Provenza both."

"I know," he grumbled. "Sorry. I'm going to be saying that awhile. I know."

"I'm also not going to be falling at your feet. This is going to take real effort," she explained.

"I know. That's part of the reason for my call. I would like to ask you out on a date," he stated. "Friday night because I'm unavailable all next week."

"I'll check my calendar and get back to you. Are you almost home?" she asked.

"Wait, can you check it now?" he asked.

"No, I'll check it when we hang up," she said.

"So, is that like a yes if you're free?" he asked.

"That depends. I've done some thinking too, and I'd like for both of us to talk to the priest."

"Huh?" he asked.

"Almost like counseling, but I'd like us to sit down with him. I think he can give us some good information on forgiveness," she said. "I called and asked his office if he does anything like that, and I was told he can."

"Alright," Andy nodded as he sat in the car. "I can do that."

"Good. My calendar is free," Sharon stated.

"When is this session with the priest?" he asked.

"Saturday afternoon," Sharon answered easily. He smiled.

"You already made an appointment," he chuckled. "I'm good with that."

"Good," she said. "We need to talk to someone, and he seems like a good place to start."

"Listen, if we wrap this case tomorrow like we expect, can we talk tomorrow evening?" he asked.

"That sounds like a good place to start, Andy," Sharon said.

"I'll bring dinner," he added. "I'll let you go; I don't want to take up all of your evening," he told her.

"Hmm, what's another Flynn? I spent most of the evening with the other one."

"Ang? You and Ang spent the evening together?' he asked.

"We did. We had a nice dinner and a good talk. Now, goodnight, Andy. Drive safely, and I'll talk to you tomorrow," Sharon said. She hung up, and Andy stared at his phone, not sure if he wanted to ask about the details of Sharon and Angela's outing.


	26. Chapter 26

Sharon climbed into bed after finishing her talk with Andy. It had been a long day, a decent day, but a long one. Not sleeping well the night before had been the start, then she'd fallen over Andy-literally, talked with him a bit, worked, dealt with Andy and Provenza, had dinner with Angela, and then she'd finished off her evening talking to Andy again. She had missed talking to him. She looked at her clock, pausing for a moment, and she opened her nightstand. There, she pulled out the picture that had taken up residence in her drawer for over a year. She brushed the slight layer of dust off it and studied it before putting it back on her nightstand where she could see it. She smiled at it, an image of the two of them when they'd been very happy. They had been out on an evening walk on the beach after work one day, meeting each other there. The lighting was great, and they looked very happy. She hoped to get back to that, well, not back because they were moving forward, but she hoped they could be happy again. She knew she loved him, but had a lot to hash out. He'd easily agreed to speak to their priest so that was a start, a very good start.

Sharon laid back and started to go over her evening with Angela. She was glad they'd met for dinner. After a quick afternoon phone call, the plans had been set. Since Angela had a rental car, which, Sharon found out was the reason she hadn't seen her at Andy's-she'd been out, the two had a lot of options for dinner. Sharon suggested a favorite beachside grill, and the two had met there at 6:30.

 _"Sharon," Angela smiled when the two spotted each other. Angela was waiting at the restaurant bar area, having ordered a glass of wine for herself._

 _"Good to see you," Sharon smiled warmly. The two indicated they were ready to be seated, and they were taken to a table. For the early week, the restaurant wasn't busy._

 _"How are you?" Sharon asked, starting with pleasantries as soon as they were situated._

 _"Oh, I'm fine, Sharon," Angela waved. "We both know there are more pressing matters to discuss. Now, I'll catch you up on Emily since she probably hasn't called."_

 _Sharon rolled her eyes, "I spoke to her now a couple weeks ago on Mother's Day. It wasn't long, but it was a start. I've sent her texts like crazy, and I know she reads them. I also know her new show opens this weekend."_

 _"It does," Angela nodded. "I'm going to go next week. She misses you. I can tell, and she's even said a few things. Keep pushing her. She's stubborn, but she's coming around. I get more stories now of 'Mom and I used to' type things, so she's getting there. She just started dating a guy. I met him by accident," she admitted, frowning. "I stopped by Emily's apartment, and the two of them had just walked in the door with Chinese. Looks like they were going to watch a movie and have dinner. Anyway, he seemed okay, but who knows?" she shrugged._

 _Sharon frowned too, "Okay? Something off?"_

 _Angela shrugged, "Well, to be honest, he wasn't very excited about Emily. Just seemed more like a friend, but Emily said they were dating. I'm not sure if it will go anywhere. He wasn't that good looking either," she winked, "not that he has to be, but still," she smiled. "Emily deserves a good-looking guy."_

 _Sharon started to laugh at Angela's bluntness, "Oh, well, I can't disagree with you there." She continued to laugh._

 _"Now, tell me about your good-looking guy," Angela's eyes twinkled. "He may be my brother, but he's as handsome as they come, so spill it. He's been a nervous wreck worrying about you, and I must confess, at first, he didn't tell me why we were at the restaurant the other night. I wanted to kill him when he admitted we were there to spy on you," she rolled her eyes._

 _Sharon hummed as she frowned, "Angela, he had no right-" and was cut off._

 _Angela held up her hand, "I know; I know. I told him that. He got an earful from me. After seeing you at the restaurant, I made him high tail it out of there, where I spent the next several hours chewing him out."_

 _Sharon let out a deep breath, shaking her head, "Well, thank you. As you know, your brother often has good intentions, a good heart, but the worst execution and planning."_

 _"Yes, he admitted to his little online stalking," she said._

 _Sharon rolled her eyes, "Good. I'm glad he confessed that it really was that. I took care of that myself too," she gave a slight smile._

 _Angela noticed it, "Do tell?"_

 _Sharon waved her hand, "I may have used my job and power today to prove a point. Let's just say it's a good thing you won't be here next week because both Andy and Provenza will be very busy at work, at least 14 hour days."_

 _Angela burst out laughing, and Sharon recounted her office scene while the two read through the menu. After ordering, they started talking again._

 _"Sharon, I really don't want to get in the middle of this, and obviously, I apologize for dinner at the restaurant, even though I didn't realize I was his date at the time. I do hope you know Andy still loves you deeply, and if there's even a chance, I hope you'll try."_

 _Sharon offered a small smile, "I know," she sighed, shaking her head and offering a bit of a chuckle. "I know. I love him too," she shrugged, "which," she smiled, "he knows by the way. It's not a question of love, but if we can work through the mess we've both created. I hope we can, as does he."_

 _Angela nodded, "When he didn't come home last night," she trailed off. Sharon raised her eyebrows._

 _"Oh, he was at my condo," Sharon admitted. Angela's interest peaked. "Just, not what you think," Sharon winked. "Andy slept at my doorstep, quite literally I might add, and this morning, I tripped over him, falling right into his lap, as I tried to leave."_

 _Angela burst out laughing. It was a good thing she wasn't sipping on her wine. "Are you serious? He didn't tell me that at all."_

 _"Long story, but left work and hoped to woo me this morning?" Sharon said with a bit of question in her voice. "He said he hoped to catch me before work, which technically," she shrugged, "I guess he did, right in his lap. Typical Andy-plans get messed up. I ended up making him some breakfast because he looked terrible, but at our ages, why wouldn't he look terrible if he had worked that long and then slept in the hallway."_

 _"Oh, Andy," Angela chuckled and sighed. They were quiet while their food was being served. Angela looked at Sharon's plate, "That looks like something Andy would order if he was here."_

 _"He has," Sharon admitted. "This used to be one of our favorite places to eat. I haven't been here in over a year and a half. It seemed right tonight."_

 _"Well, Sharon, I hope you two can work through this. You are the one woman who can deal with Andy, and I like that. Honestly, in New York, I didn't know if you would even show up for dinner, and then you had a way about you, just pressing through everything. I like you a lot, and it's very evident why Andy has been in love with you for so long. I know everything blew up in your faces, but I'm delighted to have gained another niece from everything. I can't wait to meet my nephew too."_

 _Sharon raised an eyebrow at Angela._

 _"He's still family, no matter what," Angela winked. "Emily's brother is my nephew too, so consider him spoiled."_

 _Sharon, very touched and almost emotional, just nodded to Angela, "Thank you," she said as she had trouble just getting her words out. "I love your family like my own."_

Sharon settled back in her bed, a smile on her face. It had been a good evening. She was gaining a friend, really a true family member in Angela. Anyone who could look past the problems of the past, accept a new family member, well, really she had told Sharon she was taking on two new family members with Ricky too, well, Angela was a wonderful person.

Tuesday passed rather quickly, and Andy sent Sharon an email mid-afternoon telling her they'd caught their guy and were wrapping up their case. He said he'd be by the condo later with dinner. By 6:30, Sharon had arrived home and had decided to change clothes. She put on her more comfortable, after work attire just in time, as Andy knocked as she was finishing up.

"Hi," she smiled at him when she opened the door. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, squeezing his arm.

"Hi, Sweetheart," he smiled back at her as he held up the bags of food. "I picked up Chinese."

"Hmmm, you read my mind. That sounds perfect tonight," she said, as she moved out of the way and closed the door behind him. Andy moved into the condo, and like old times, he started to get things setup in the kitchen.

"As you can see," Sharon gestured, "I already put out the plates." The two worked at serving their food, and once they had started to eat, Sharon began with casual conversation, "So, tell me about your case."

Andy recounted the case, laughing at what an idiot their suspect had been. It seemed to be the perfect, light conversation for dinner, ironic as it was the tale of a murderer.

"How was your day?" Andy asked, and Sharon just shrugged.

"Not bad. I am pretty well caught up on my work at the moment, but I just setup a meeting with Chief Johnson for next week. So, it could get worse. I'm worried all of this lawsuit grumbling is going to turn into more with your division," she admitted. The two spent a few minutes discussing that, and by this point, they'd finished eating. Andy stood to clear the plates.

"You sit; I'll clean up," he smiled at her. "Besides, I have a surprise."

"A surprise?" she asked. He nodded and cleared her plate, and then he returned to the table with another bag.

"I didn't want help with serving dinner because I also brought dessert," as he produced the two brownies he'd picked up at Sharon's favorite bakery.

Sharon smiled, "I haven't had those in a very long time. Why don't we take these out to the balcony?"

Andy grinned at the suggestion, and they moved to the balcony. Both situated themselves in the two lounge chairs to enjoy the night air.

"Thank you for dinner and dessert, Andy," Sharon told him.

"Anytime. Thanks for having me over tonight. I'm glad we are getting a chance to talk," he admitted. Sharon hummed.

"When we go see the priest, where do you want to start?" Sharon asked, jumping right into the heart of the conversation she wanted to have.

"I think we should start with Emily, from the beginning," he said. "What were you thinking?"

Sharon nodded, "I thought the same. I thought we could give him a run-down on the whole history. As much as I don't want to tell my priest every detail, he's the one who can help."

"As much as I don't want to involve everyone, I want to be upfront with the kids," Andy said. "I hope you are okay with that."

Sharon paused and nodded, "No more hiding things, so yes," she said. "I'm fine with that. I don't want to get into specifics-" she started to say.

"Not my intention either, but I am planning to tell the kids that we are trying to work through things," he said.

"Okay," she nodded to him. "Fair enough."

"Ahh, I thought we would talk to Emily together," Andy suggested, giving Sharon a hopeful look.

"Andy," Sharon sighed.

"Listen, Sharon, she's going to get an earful from me soon if she doesn't start speaking to you. Kid doesn't want to see how good she had it growing up. When I visit her in July, I am planning to go through it all. This needs to end. I get it; she's mad. I was too, but we all make mistakes. She isn't going to continue to punish you for the rest of her life for something you did trying to protect her. I'm her dad, and she's going to hear when she's now in the wrong. I needed to hear it myself, and Angela was the one who set me straight," Andy stated.

"We can talk to her together," Sharon admitted. "Maybe we can call her Saturday after we see the priest? Her show opens Friday night, and Saturday, maybe we can call her late that evening and see how things went?"

"That sounds good. I wasn't really wanting to call her tonight, only because I want to spend time with just you," he said.

"Me too," she admitted. "Honestly, I was prepared to yell at you, but I feel all yelled out. Plus, I had a nice dinner with your sister, and she told me she really laid into you herself."

"Oh, trust me," he sighed. "She did."

The sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Andy reached out and gripped Sharon's hand on her chair. They both took it as progress when she allowed his hand in hers, and they continued to sit, enjoying the evening air. They sat like that for almost 15 minutes, and Andy spoke again, "I have an idea," he suggested, and when he saw Sharon glance at him, he took that as a sign to proceed. "What if we both write out a list of all the things that still anger or upset us? Take that to the priest?" he suggested.

Sharon thought and nodded, "Okay, I'll do that," she told him. After they continued to sit, Andy spoke again.

"As much as I want to just sit here, I should get going. I'm not about to wear out my welcome tonight," he winked. He broke contact with Sharon and stood. She followed him into the condo and to the door. "Sharon," he said when he got to the door and turned to face her, "can I hold you for a minute?"

Sharon dropped any sort of tough exterior she had and nodded, going into his embrace. The hug felt good, and both took a deep breath as they stood there in silence. "Goodnight, Andy," Sharon finally leaned up and kissed his cheek again, as she'd done when he arrived. "Night, Sharon," he kissed her cheek in reply, winking as he left.

They hadn't yelled or hashed out anything, but that might be good. They were going to talk to someone and get some guidance, but they had to start somewhere. They were going to clue in the kids, their talk with Emily this weekend after their session, that is if everything went okay in their session. They were going to go on a date Friday night. She had pulled their picture out of her nightstand, and to be honest, she really liked seeing it there again. She had been catching herself smiling each time she saw it. Sharon remembered she had another picture she'd put away and went to her desk to retrieve it. She put it back on her desk where it had only been out a few days before her world had torn apart. Christmas Day a year and a half ago-the four of them-Sharon, Andy, Emily, and Ricky. Andy had come over for Christmas to join in their day, and they had taken a group picture. It wasn't the best by any standard, but they had all been laughing and happy. Happy. Baby steps. Hopefully, it would work out.


	27. Chapter 27

It had been a long week. Work had gotten busy, and after Tuesday evening, Sharon had only spoken to Andy by phone or text; the two had barely seen each other. They passed in the hallway at work, but that wasn't the place to stop and chit chat. They hadn't put their relationship on display at work before, and they certainly weren't going to start now. So, by Friday, they were both looking forward to their date, although, Andy had been secretive about what they were going to do.

"Dress casual," he had said, which had Sharon's mind going in many different directions. So, as she took one final look at herself in her mirror, she frowned not sure if she had dressed appropriately for whatever they were doing. She'd picked jeans and an off the black shoulder short sleeve sweater. Yes, it was May in Los Angeles, but she always got cold, and whatever they were doing, she was sure at some point they would be outside, and she didn't want to be cold.

"Sharon?" she heard him call out for her. She'd unlocked the door and told him to come in when he'd sent her a text saying that he had just parked. She was just finishing her hair.

"Down the hall," she said, putting her final touches on. She started toward him, almost running into him as he came in search of her. "Ohh!" she said, as they collided.

"Perhaps greeting each other at the condo needs to be on our list of things to work on," he chuckled. He stepped back, smiling, "You look beautiful, perfect for the evening."

"Thank you," she smiled, and she shook her head as she took in his appearance. "Nice choice of attire for the evening," she nodded to him and then nodded to herself. He, too, was wearing jeans and a black shirt. He smiled and shrugged.

"Sorry," he offered. "I don't mind the twin look if you don't."

"I'm not bothered at all," she smiled. "You look good."

"Thanks," he grew a wide smile. "Oh," he flung out his hand, "these lilies are for you."

"Thank you," she smiled, leaning up to kiss his cheek. She pulled his hand in hers and had her follow him to the kitchen where she put the flowers in water. "First date, and you brought the girl's favorite flowers. Nice job, Lieutenant. So, still not telling me where we are going?"

"Nope," he flashed a bright smile, "and, I know it's killing you."

"Okay, well, I guess I'm ready to go," she admitted.

"Don't sound too excited," he rolled his eyes, flashing another smile at her. He took her hand this time, and the two made their way to his car.

"Will you at least tell me if we have a long drive?" she asked.

"Short drive. Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Starving. I didn't eat lunch," she admitted. "Busy day, and well, I was a bit nervous."

"Nervous?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked to her.

"I want this to go well," she shrugged.

"I do too," he took her hand in his. "Angela said to tell you good-bye. She left this morning and said to tell you she'd send you some pictures from the ballet next week. She said she was going to get backstage to see Emily."

Sharon smiled, "I'm so glad. Your sister is lovely, Andy."

"Griffith Park?" Sharon said a few minutes later, looking at Andy with surprise. "Andy, we've found bodies here."

"Sharon, we've found bodies all over LA. If you wanted a date with no bodies, I'd have to fly you somewhere," he started to laugh. "I thought we'd check out the observatory tonight."

"Oh," Sharon pursed her lips, shaking her head. "That is something I didn't expect. Very out of character, Lieutenant."

He shrugged, "I'm trying. I'm trying with a fresh start, making new memories. I wanted something you wouldn't expect."

She smiled, "This should be fun, but I do have to ask about your dinner plans? This isn't exactly restaurant row around here."

"Got that covered," he raised a hand, and a few minutes later they had parked. Sharon was curious to this dinner plan because she was getting really hungry. Andy answered that by opening his trunk and pulling out a picnic basket, cooler, and blanket.

"I hope a picnic is okay," he gave her a warm smile.

"Hmm," Sharon nodded, "Edgy-first date, picnic. That's a bold move. I mean, what if you happened to bring food your date doesn't like or doesn't eat? Lieutenant, you are going out on a limb."

He nodded, "That's true. I happen to be a very good detective and have it on good authority that my beautiful date will enjoy this dinner."

He led her to a spot where there was good lighting; he'd scoped this out earlier in the week after one of his AA meetings, and once he got setup, he helped Sharon sit and pulled out the food.

"I figured that after seeing we were having a picnic, you would expect me to have picked up a perfect meal," he smiled. "I almost did, and then I thought again, that we are trying to turn over a new leaf. So, as much as I wanted to get your favorite Italian dish from our favorite restaurant, tonight, I went in the opposite direction," he grinned. Sharon made a face that caused Andy to laugh. "Don't worry; this isn't going to be that awful, Sharon."

Sharon watched as he pulled out the food and started to laugh, "Oh, Andy, sub sandwiches?"

He shrugged again, "Hey, if you still want another date after this one, I consider the night a success. All cards on the table-I'm not a flashy guy, so this is me being myself. Besides, it's not just sandwiches; I did get cheesecake. It's a picnic in the park, and I did get this amazing veggie sandwich you will love. This place is legendary, and I drove across town to get their sandwiches."

Sharon just nodded, happy to be with him, and the two started to enjoy their meal. "Can I ask you something?" Sharon started the conversation.

"Of course, Sweetheart. Anything," he said.

"Okay," she took a deep breath. "I'm going to go there-after you found out about Emily and stormed out of the condo, what did you do? I was worried sick, thinking if anything would get you drinking again, that might. I didn't hear from you for two days, and the kids couldn't get ahold of you either."

Andy put down his sandwich, "I got in my car and started driving. It was New Year's Eve, as you remember. I ended up in Palm Springs. Somehow, the desert was soothing-empty and quiet. I found myself in the store-middle of the night, a bottle of liquor in my hand. I even bought it, but when I got to the car, I couldn't go through with it. I sat there staring at the liquor for at least an hour. I just kept playing the events of the evening and of our time together 25 years ago over and over in my head. I went so far as to unscrew the bottle, but I didn't drink it. I finally opened the car door and put the bottle on the ground. I drove away and found the first hotel room I could. I turned off my phone, and I just stayed there for two days. I didn't know what to do. The guilt hit me there, the guilt that I'd fathered a child, out of marriage, for one, and that I'd fathered another child that I hadn't raised. It all hit me, and I guess that's when the real anger hit. I was so angry at you. You'd lied to me, and then even after all this time, I saw it as you ruining our future because I didn't know how I could trust someone who had lied about something so important."

Sharon listened as he spoke, closing her eyes, almost wanting to wish away the pain she could hear in his voice. She nodded in acknowledgement.

"I called Angela on the way home, finally. She'd left me a few messages. I called Provenza too, but I didn't get into it with him on the phone. I met him the next day, but Angela got the whole story on the drive home. I had to pull over twice because I was so mad. I must have been a sight, storming around on the side of the road because I couldn't get my anger under control. That's where I went," he told her.

"Thank you for telling me," Sharon offered him her hand, and he squeezed it.

"Now, I've got one for you," he said. "When you found out you were pregnant with Emily, did you ever consider telling me?"

This time, Sharon put down her sandwich and shifted so she could look at Andy. "I thought about it. I found out I was pregnant with Emily on a Sunday morning, and I almost couldn't look at myself in the mirror. Jack had been gone, so there was no question you were the father. I felt badly because for as long as I could remember, I envisioned this perfect life with Jack, and that included a baby, well, at least one to start, but I always had hoped for more. That morning, I wanted to be anything but pregnant, and I felt guilty for thinking that. I broke down in church, and I couldn't pull myself away to leave. I stayed there most of the day trying to figure out what I was going to do. I'd thought about driving over to your dingy apartment and telling you, but I'd run through my mind and didn't know what the next step would be after that. I'd seen you drunk by then, and it really had me worried. I knew you were battling things out with Sandra, and I didn't want that same kind of story for us. I couldn't see a future with you when I was married to Jack, and I couldn't see a future with you when you were stuck in the bottle. So, I decided I would go home and see the doctor to confirm everything before I made any decision. When I got home, Jack, who had disappeared, was there, with flowers. We sat up talking all night, and I told him about Emily. I didn't tell him you were the father, but I told him I'd just found out I was pregnant. We decided to make a fresh start, which is one of the main concerns I have with you and I making a fresh start. I tried that before," she admitted.

"I'm sorry you had that to deal with alone, Sharon. I can't imagine the pain I caused and the feelings of guilt and helplessness I caused," Andy squeezed her hand.

"And, I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that my secret caused you so much anguish. Andy, you taking off broke me. Jack took off too, and we tried again. I'm scared because you took off, and we are trying again."

Andy sighed, shaking his head, "Sharon. I am not Jack. I'm not drinking, and I don't sleep around. He was doing both; you've told me. I love you, and while I can't say if he really did, I know I do. All cards on the table, I'm here where I belong with you. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too," she gave a small smile. "For a first date, we hit some heavy topics," she teased, wiping her eyes. She wanted to lighten the mood. "Let's try other topics?"

"Oh, of course," he said, trying to ease the tension. That had been a good discussion. They were both working hard not to lash out in anger, not to yell, and while tough, they were trying. He moved and pulled out the cheesecake, and once they both had a piece, Sharon hummed with every bite.

"So," she said between bites, "Lieutenant, tell me about your family," she grinned. "First date," she shrugged.

"Well," he nodded. "Let's see. I have a sister, and she's pretty great. Good listener, and even as old as we are now, she puts me in my place when I need it. Now, the best part," he smiled. "I have three amazing kids. One boy and two girls, all gorgeous and smart. A little secret-they get that from their moms," he winked. "Great kids, all went to college, and they are all following their dreams. I'm on the outs with two of them still since I drank my way through their childhood-but working on things with them, but the third, my youngest, well, she's pretty amazing. We're really getting along well, although, I may have to put her in her place soon, or maybe I'll even have my sister do that too," he smiled. "Captain, tell me about your family," he nodded.

She smiled, "Hmm, okay, I was a single mom with a Jack," she made a face. "I guess he's part of the story since he inserts himself in to inappropriate situations," she shook her head, "but, I tossed him to the curb finally. My greatest joy, though, would be my two kids. I can't imagine life without them. I'd almost wished my daughter away before she was ever born because she didn't come about as I'd imagined, but she was no mistake," Sharon smiled. "She was and continues to be such a blessing to me, and she might have brought me back to the one person with whom I'm meant to be. My son give me hope and laughter. Had I not made certain decision in my life, I wouldn't have either of my kids, but my decisions gave me the best things I could have imagined."

Andy gave Sharon a smile and nodded at what she had to say. He opened his arm, and she moved to his side. They sat there, looking at the sky, enjoying the evening. Finally, Andy said, "Let's go walk around a bit," he offered, and Sharon nodded.

Two hours later, Andy was walking Sharon back to the condo door. They had their hands joined, and both had been rather quiet since they had talked at dinner. Sharon turned to Andy when they reached her door. Andy was quick to speak, "Sharon, may I kiss you?" he asked.

Sharon looked at him with surprise, "Andy, you've kissed me before."

"First date," he shrugged. "A fresh start."

"Ahhh," she nodded. "Well, I don't want to appear too forward," she smiled, "but, I do seem to like you already. Yes."

He leaned in and gave her a very quick, sweet kiss, their lips barely meeting. Sharon was surprised when he pulled back, but she knew both were walking a fine line. He definitely left her wanting more, but they were trying to take things slowly as they worked through their issues and emotions in their head.

"Thank you for tonight," Sharon smiled at him. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I'll pick you up on the way to the church," he said. "2:30 Captain. Be ready," and with that, he turned and slowly started to walk down the hall, not picking up the pace until he heard Sharon enter her condo, close, and lock the door.


	28. Chapter 28

They walked out of the church in silence, not looking at each other. Other than Sharon clearing her throat, no one made a sound. Both arrived back at Andy's car, Sharon standing there until he unlocked it. He fumbled for his keys, but before he opened her door, he reached for her hand and gave a small smile. He pulled her into his embrace, feeling her relax as he did.

"We said this wasn't going to be easy," he said softly into her hair, as they stood there. She hummed.

"Yes, I know," she sighed. "Still hard to dig up all that," she said as she pulled back and played with his shirt. He kept his hands on her shoulders.

"It could have gone worse," he shrugged, offering a smile as a peace offering.

She narrowed her eyes, "How?"

"Well," he used his thumbs to rub her shoulders, "We left together. We are still talking. You're even letting me take you home. See, it could be worse."

She let out a small chuckle, still playing with his shirt buttons, "I'm willing to go so far tonight-" she let that hang, and he looked at her with interest, "that, I'll cook you dinner."

He smiled and chuckled, opening her door. He pulled her into his side, before she got in, "We'll be okay," he kissed her head. She patted his arm and got in.

It was a relatively quiet ride home, both reflecting on their conversation with the priest. It hadn't been pretty. Both had gotten angry, as expected, and both had even shed some tears. They'd been embarrassed to admit their whole story to the priest, but much to his credit, he'd just listened without judgement. Sharon knew they weren't the first to confess sins, but it still didn't help that now, every time he looked at them, he knew the WHOLE story.

"Sharon?" he said softly, and she hummed at him as she turned to him.

"Sorry," she shook her head. "How many times did you call my name?"

"Twice," he admitted. "You okay?"

She shrugged, "I will be, yes. Just thinking of everything we said and what he suggested."

"You think it will be helpful?" he asked.

Sharon pursed her lips, "I'm not sure, but I guess we will find out." The priest had suggested that after Andy drop off Sharon and leave her condo for the evening the two take a full week to not interact at all-not see each other, no phone calls, no text messages, no emails-nothing. He admitted he hadn't heard a story like theirs and didn't have any magical answers, but in lieu of everything, he thought that might do them some good. He explained that while they had done just that for over a year, they'd done it in anger, and they hadn't wanted anything to do with the other. This time, he wanted each to reflect on things; they were in a better place now, and he wanted them to think about the other, decide if they wanted their life without the other, and go from there. He said it was good for them to be unplugged from each other to reevaluate things. Of course, he understood that work might be an issue and said to do what was needed for work, but if possible to even avoid each other there. Before, they couldn't get far enough away from each other, and now, with everything in the open and fences staring to mend, how would they feel?

"Well, I'm not looking forward to it, but I'll do it. Besides," he threw a fake grin her way, "I've got a long week at work anyway."

"Yes, yes, you do," Sharon tried not to smile, looking away as she shook her head.

"So, what do you want to do about dinner?" he said.

"I went to the store this morning and picked up some fish. We can have that if you like. I thought I would steam some vegetables and make some rice," she offered.

"Sounds good. I'll grill the fish if you want?" he said.

"Perfect," she smiled. "I must confess that my grilling skills aren't up to yours. That's one thing I really miss about you being around," she smiled.

"Well, then I'll make sure to grill out for you more often. Now, let's get back to the condo, make dinner, call Emily, and hopefully, in between all that, we can talk more about today."

The two arrived at the condo and were chatting as they entered. Sharon walked to the kitchen to start prepping dinner.

"Surprise, Mom!" Sharon, visibly startled, jumped back, stepping on Andy's feet as Ricky surprised her.

"Ouch!" Andy yelled out, wincing in pain. The two were having trouble not hurting themselves at the condo.

"Ricky?" Sharon asked, surprised, and yet happy. "Oh, I didn't know you were coming," she said, opening her arms to him.

"That's why it's a surprise," he grinned, going into her hug. "Andy!" he said, very surprised, as he hugged his mom and registered Andy was hopping on his foot, in pain behind Sharon.

Sharon quickly realized what was going on and broke apart from Ricky, turning to Andy, "Are you okay?" she put her arm on his shoulder, concerned about him.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he groaned. Sharon's boots with heels had done a number on his foot. "I'm sorry," she said. "We keep hurting each other."

Andy held up a hand, as he caught his breath again, "Yeah, now there's a play on words."

Ricky stood, watching everything with a questioning look, as Sharon looked at a hobbling Andy. He made his way to the couch and sat down. Sharon followed him and looked back to Ricky. "Umm, Mom?" he asked.

Sharon motioned him over, "Come, sit for a moment," she said, as she sat down on the couch too. Andy offered her a small smile, and she apologized again, "Sorry for trampling your foot. Will you need to be put on desk duty?" she said as a grin formed behind her concerned exterior.

Andy smirked at her, throwing a fake smile, "I think I'll live." Ricky moved and sat in the orange chair, eyeing the two.

"Watch out for those heels, Andy," Ricky smiled. "Not only does she look deadly in them, they can be deadly as you're seeing. Now, will someone tell me what's going on? You are in the same room, talking, even possibly enjoying each other's company. Last I heard, you were barely speaking after your trip to New York over the winter."

"Well," Sharon took a deep breath and looked to Andy, "we have made a lot of progress and are working on things." She was sitting close enough to Andy, the two grabbed ahold of and held onto each other's hands, "We are hoping to work through everything and move forward as a couple."

"Wow," Ricky said, visibly surprised. "Have to say, I didn't see that coming. When you were out, well, I thought-wait a minute," he turned to Andy, "you found out about the dating site didn't you?' he asked.

Andy rolled his eyes, as he glanced at Sharon and then turned back to Ricky, "I might have come across it. Why?"

Ricky sat back, crossing his leg and crossing his arms over himself, "No reason. I told Emily you two still loved each other."

Sharon narrowed her eyes at Ricky before she rolled her head toward Andy, "Should I be concerned?"

Andy shrugged, "He is your son-there's no telling," he grinned.

Sharon stood, "You two sit. I'm going to start dinner."

"I'll start the grill when you are ready, Sharon, Andy called out to her.

"Oh, I'll let you know, Clay."

"Clay?" Ricky asked.

Andy held up his hand and shook his head as if a 'don't ask' type of response. Sharon poked her head around from the kitchen, "Since you were so helpful in setting up my online profile, why don't you ask Andy all about Clay. He can explain."

"Just one question," Ricky asked. "Does Emily know about this?" he waved his hand between the two of them. Sharon came out from the kitchen again.

"No," she said wiping her hands on a towel. "Honestly, we've just been working through things the last couple weeks. We were coming home to have dinner and call you both. We aren't jumping back into the mess we created; we've been working hard at putting everything out in the open and trying to start fresh while going over the things that we need to work through. This isn't a pick up where we left off; we are putting a lot of effort into this fresh start. Part of that is not hiding any of this from the four of you, but at the same time, asking that the four of you respect us enough to let us work though what we need to do."

Ricky nodded as he listened to Sharon. He looked to Andy who offered him an encouraging smile.

"Your mom and I love each other very much, Ricky," Andy admitted. "That's not the problem. We want to clear the air so we aren't resentful of anything down the road."

"Wow, as I said, didn't see this coming, but I'm glad to hear it. Andy, I like you around here. Let's face it; you do a better job than my own dad. I hope things work out," Ricky said. "I'll respect your space and not pry."

"Thank you," Andy told him, with Sharon nodding in agreement. "We just came from the priest."

"The priest?" Ricky asked in confusion. Sharon walked over so she was standing behind the couch, directly behind Andy.

"We've asked him to help us, almost like a counselor. He saw us today, and while rough, well, we're here," she said. "We're committed to working through this."

"Oh, man, I feel like I have the worst timing ever," Ricky blushed, standing. "Here I was, thinking I'd surprise you Mom, worried you were alone."

"Sit," Sharon pointed and said sternly. Even Andy jumped a little at her instruction. Ricky sat. "You are never a bother, and your timing is not a problem. You are always welcome here at home; I'm very glad to see you. You are staying for dinner, end of story. Part of working through things for us is being around family and figuring out our new normal around our family. Congratulations. You are first up," she smiled.

"Well," he nodded, "in that case, let me go wash up, and Andy, I can maybe help you grill? I can always use a few tips in that area. Mom was never great with the grill." He stood, and as he walked away, Andy laughed the grill comment since he and Sharon had talked about it in the car. She swatted at him before she went back to the kitchen.

The evening continued to go well, and Sharon smiled as she watched Ricky and Andy laughing from the balcony area where they were talking while grilling the fish. It felt almost normal again, except this time they were really working on trusting each other. That was one thing that had come out in their session with the priest. Sharon hadn't trusted Andy when he had been drinking and hadn't told him about Emily. On some level, the priest explained that maybe she still harbored some of that trust issue up until now, part of the reason she hadn't told him even when they'd gotten back together almost two years ago. In her mind, she kept comparing him to Jack, and as she thought about it, she knew that was true. She was waiting for Andy to just leave, which he hadn't done, not until he'd actually found out about Emily. It was a mess of thoughts, and she wasn't sure she would ever fully hash them out, but trust had been a problem. It wasn't now. She knew that. Andy had trust issues too. He had been upset when he'd found out Sharon was married when they had fooled around, resulting in Emily. He'd lost trust again when 25 years later, the secret about Emily had come out. Trust. Funny, neither had been able to put a finger on one of their main issues, but the priest was right; that was one of them. That topic had been the one that got them arguing some at the church, and the priest told them it was actually healthy to get it out in front of a mediator such as he. They'd hashed it out, both in tears at times, but it had been productive. It should have been; it had lasted two hours. Now, tonight, after Andy went home, they weren't going to talk until next weekend. Sharon cringed at the idea, but she knew the exercise would be healthy for both and give them time to think about each other, their future, and their ability to trust.

The three talked through dinner, and it felt good to be around family again, for all of them. Ricky told them about his projects at work, and they talked about his upcoming trip to New York. He was excited to spend time there, the trip falling over his own birthday.

"My sister can't wait to meet you," Andy told Ricky as they were cleaning up dinner. The guys had told Sharon to sit, so she was nursing a cup of tea while they were all talking.

"Em's told me she's a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to meeting her, but mostly to get some dirt on you. As many Flynn-Provenza stories I've heard, I know she's got tons from your childhood. Now that you and Mom are back together, it just makes getting some stories even better," he grinned.

"Oh, why didn't I think of that when Angela and I had dinner?" Sharon chuckled.

"Well, from what you told me, Mom, that was a little tense. I guess you were just trying to get through dinner," Ricky said.

"Oh," she waved her hand, "not in New York. I had dinner with Angela last week, here. She was visiting Andy, and the two of us had a great time. Next time," she nodded.

"Great. I almost hate to let her around either of you now," he sighed.

Ricky patted Andy on the back, "I'd say your secrets are safe, but," he shrugged. "They're not. Big sis can't have all the fun with all the secrets."

Andy groaned, but Sharon spoke up, "Speaking of her, Andy, we need to call her," Sharon looked at her watch. "It's still a bit early, but maybe in an hour or so?" she suggested.

"Well, as much fun as it would be to hang around and listen to my big sister get a talking to by Mom AND dad, I think I'll bail. I sent a text to my buddy, Sean, and we are going to catch up. I'll be back in a couple hours," he said.

"Okay, that sounds fine," Sharon nodded to him. "Be safe."

"Always," he nodded. "Night, Andy. Glad to hear about everything. I'm sure you know that Mom tried that dating site, but I'm really happy you two are working on things. I hope it works out."

"Thanks, Ricky," Andy shook his hand. "Your mom and I are going to put 110% in to make that happen."

Ricky grabbed his keys, "Yeah, anything I can use to guilt trip Emily and Mom in the future is good with me-you know, the whole, "Em, at least your parents love each other," and to Mom, "It's hard to be the only child in the family from a broken home," he grinned.

"Ricky!" Sharon exclaimed, but Andy doubled over in laughter. "You two are terrible," she shook her head, and Ricky waved as he left.

Andy joined Sharon at the table again, looking at her with a small smile, "Well, not what we expected, but that went well."

She nodded, "It did. I am not sure if us not having a lot of time to talk about the afternoon was good or bad, but Ricky being here," she smiled, "I'm always glad to see the kids."

"Come one," he stood, extending his hand to her, "let's sit on the couch, and we can call Emily from there. I brought my laptop up because while I hate to say it, she'll answer my call, but I'm not sure she'll answer yours."

"No, you're right," Sharon said, shaking her head. The two sat down, Andy putting his arm around Sharon, and she got situated in his side. They were quite for a few minutes, just processing their day.

"I hadn't put trust at the center of our issues," he said a few minutes later. Sharon hummed in agreement.

"Nor had I. I guess I had anger, but anger isn't the issue; it's the result. Sometimes, it's good for an outside perspective."

"Yeah," he sighed. "I'm going to miss you like crazy now this week."

"Me too," she reached up and squeezed his hand that was on her shoulder. "You will be busy at work, though," she bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"Yeah," he grunted. "I'm making a photocopy of that class certificate. Framing it. Not going back to that class again," he continued to grumble.

"Hmm, well, Lieutenant, let's try out those online skills of yours and call our daughter, shall we?" she teased as she patted his chest and moved slightly so Andy could get the computer.

Andy started the video chat, settling back in with Sharon on the couch.

"Hi Dad," they both heard, a cheerful Emily greet Andy when the computer connected.

"Hey Dancing Queen. How was the show?" he asked. Sharon wasn't visible yet from the screen. They had done that purposely.

"It went well, and -wait, where are you?" she asked, noting the background. "Dad, are you at the condo? That's Mom's lamp."

Andy pulled the computer back further to reveal Sharon sitting with him, "Hi Sweetheart," Sharon smiled. "

"Mom? Dad? What's wrong?" she asked in a bit of a panic.

"Nothing," Sharon shook her head. Andy did the same.

"Here's the thing," Andy started, "we are trying to work through everything."

"You two?" Emily asked, "Like, as in get back together?"

"We're trying," Sharon shrugged.

"Emily, I love your mom, and she loves me. Sometimes, that's not enough, but we want it to be; we want to sort through our mistakes so we don't make them again. We want a future," Andy explained.

"Wow, I don't know what to say," Emily pursed her lips. Andy had to not laugh; that look was all Sharon. "Mom, I'm still angry."

"Then, perhaps you should speak to someone, a professional even. Talk to one, and if you are too stubborn to do that, they try your Aunt Angela. She loves you," Sharon said. "Life is too short for this, Emily."

"I'll think about it. Are you following your own advice?" she asked.

"In fact, we are," Andy said. "Look, this isn't open for discussion, the 'what you think is good for us' bit, but we wanted to you know. Everything is in the open, and we hope with time, we'll make progress."

"I'll stay out of it," Emily said. "I hope you guys can figure it out. You're both miserable without each other. I see it."

"We know it," Sharon offered a small smile. "Now, will you tell us about the show?"

They talked to Emily another 10 minutes, the most Sharon had spoken to her in a very long time. When they finished, they both put their heads on the back of the couch, exhausted from the day.

"I'm going to go," Andy said, "or, I'll fall asleep right here, and I've already fallen asleep in sitting up once this week."

He stood, pulling Sharon with him. She walked with him to the door, "I had a good day," she nodded, admitting, "even with our session with the priest."

"I did too," he said, giving her a small smile. "You'll be okay this week?"

She nodded, "I'll be fine. You take care of yourself this week and get some rest. I heard you have a long week."

"I will," he nodded. "Enjoy your time with Ricky. How long is he staying, anyway?"

Sharon closed her eyes, chucking, "You know, with all this, I forgot to ask."

"I did too," he admitted. "Well, I guess he's full of surprises."

"Be safe going home," she tugged on his hand.

"I will, and I'll text you when I get there-only because it's still Saturday, and we said we wouldn't talk from Sunday-next weekend," he replied.

Sharon rolled her eyes, "You and your technicalities, Lieutenant."

"Hey," he raised his hand, "I'm only following the rules. You love rules."

"Night, Andy," she leaned up and gave him a quick kiss, one that mimicked the one he'd given her the night before after their "first" date.

"Night, Sharon," he repeated it and winked at her as he walked out the door. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Progress.


	29. Chapter 29

It was a long week, a very long week. Sharon wanted to kiss Ricky for the distraction he was, the three days he was in town. As much as she wanted to do that, she knew her grown son would "freak out" a bit if she tried. Oh, bless Ricky for surprising her and distracting her for a few days. The rest of the week dragged on like she couldn't believe.

Sharon tried to figure out the difference. She'd gone well over a year without basic interaction with Andy, and she'd survived, but all she wanted to do now was march into the Murder Room and kiss him into next week. She missed him; she wanted to put her arms around him and hear him whisper in her ear anything really. She realized she was being silly; she'd seen him yesterday when she had a meeting with Chief Johnson. He hadn't seen her because he was across the room dealing with something else. Sharon realized this was almost childish behavior. People often didn't see a loved one for a long time; the military had to do it all the time, and they were sending their loved ones to dangerous places. Although, she did have to acknowledge that sending Andy out anywhere with Provenza might qualify as dangerous. She missed him, plain and simple and saw just what this exercise was supposed to prove. She didn't want to let him go.

It was now Friday afternoon, and Sharon was ready to scream. She'd wanted to call Andy all week. Nothing had even happened, yet she wanted to call him. She missed talking to him, more than she realized. She missed just having him in her life. She realized they'd made quite a bit of progress because in the last year and a half, she'd gone through a range of emotions, first with the grief and sorrow, wanting to call him, but for different reasons. She'd gotten used to not speaking to him, more of an anger building, and now, she recognized she loved him and just missed him. It was Friday, and she had to make it until Sunday. Silly, but she knew she had it bad.

Sharon sighed as she looked at the clock. It was only 2:45, but she then started laughing knowing that Andy and Provenza would be arriving at their final day of their computer training. She knew he had to be going nuts over that, and maybe, just maybe, of all weeks to not be allowed to talk to him, this was a good one. She was sure Provenza was getting an earful from Andy each day.

Her phone rang, drawing her from her thoughts. "Was this whole no talking thing the same week as our required training your idea too, Captain?" she heard and instantly closed her eyes and held in a chuckle.

"Well, good afternoon to you too, Lieutenant. What can I do for you?" she asked.

"I'm ready to pull the plug on myself, Captain! He's in the bathroom, but it's about all I can take to listen to him go on and on everyday. Please tell me this week of torture is up," he said.

"Almost, Lieutenant. Things should be back to normal by Monday," she replied. "I'm sure, though, he told you that."

"Well, I wouldn't know! I've tuned out just about anything the idiot has said all week. I've got to go; we can't be on our phone during class, or we have to repeat it. Deal with him!" Provenza said totally irritated.

Sharon covered her mouth from laughter after she hung up with Provenza. He was always complaining about something, but it did her good to hear that apparently, Andy was having a rough a week as she was, well, maybe worse. She'd had Ricky to distract her for a few days. Andy only had Provenza and 14 hour workdays. Yes, maybe Andy had it worse this week.

Sharon decided to turn in early Friday evening because she planned to do some shopping on Saturday morning. She was an early riser, unlike most of LA on their day off, so she planned to get her shopping in during the morning. She had no idea what her afternoon plans would entail, but she had to find something to distract herself. She never had this problem before, trying to distract her thoughts of Andy, but it was really driving her nuts right now. After a morning of shopping and a leisurely lunch, Sharon decided to go for a walk on the beach. Time got away from her, as did distance, and by the time she got back to her car, she was exhausted. She'd walked over five miles, but she'd enjoyed it immensely.

She was almost home when her phone rang again, and once again it was Provenza. Sharon almost didn't answer it because, well, it was Provenza, and the two weren't into the girlish chit chat, but considering they worked together often, she couldn't ignore it.

"What can I do for you, Lieutenant? I assume you and your partner passed your course with flying colors?" she grinned into the phone.

"Course? Oh, yeah, it's done," he grumbled. "Listen, Flynn's in the ER. He was playing in a softball game with some of the guys from AA, some league he joined, and he broke his nose."

"What?" Sharon said, mildly panicked. "Is he okay?"

"He should be fine. I'm almost there to check on the idiot. They called me because he's always told them I'm his partner, and my card is in his wallet. All the guys in the group know that. Anyway, I thought you'd want to know. They said he got hit in the face with the ball. I'm just going to forward you the text I have with the hospital address," Provenza explained.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. I am in the car anyway. I'm almost home, so I'll get turned around, pull up your text, and I'll meet you there. I appreciate the call," she said, and the two hung up. She sighed and shook her head as she pulled over to get the hospital information. She started in the right direction, almost in disbelief. She couldn't even be unplugged from Andy for a week before he hurt himself. She'd have to applaud him for at least not being with Provenza.

Sharon arrived at the hospital a half hour later. From Provenza's latest text, Andy was almost done; they had trouble getting the bleeding to stop, but he was going to be okay, well, aside from the broken nose. Provenza gave her all the information to find him in the ER.

She walked into his curtain area, shaking her head, catching Andy's glance as he looked up at her.

"You called her?" Andy asked Provenza.

"Well, you didn't," Provenza snapped back.

"I was going to call her as soon as they got me all squared away," Andy explained.

"I know," Sharon cut in, "how about saying, 'Hi, Sharon, I'm glad to see you' or 'Thanks, Provenza for being a friend and calling her?' but that's just a suggestion," she shrugged, moving over toward the bed where he was sitting. He must have been hit hard; his shirt was covered in blood. She'd seen gunshots with less blood.

"Hi, Sharon," he repeated, "I'm very happy to see you," he grinned at her. Provenza made a face and rolled his eyes.

"That's my cue," he stuck up his hand. "Flynn, glad you are going to make it. Call me if you need anything, well, no, call her," he hooked a hand at Sharon. "What a coincidence seeing you here, Captain," he smirked as he left the room.

Sharon touched his arm, "Thank you for calling me, Lieutenant."

"Just get him cleaned up," he threw a scowl back at Andy. Andy smirked at Provenza before Provenza left the room.

Sharon turned back to Andy, crossing her arms and shaking her head, "Andy, what am I going to do with you?"

He gave her a pitiful glance, "Hopefully, spring me from this place? You're my last attempt at a ride home, well, unless I start hitting on the nurses," he grinned. "Didn't work when I was stabbed, though," he shrugged.

Sharon walked over and took her hand to his face, moving it alongside where he'd gotten hit, "Andy, it looks painful."

"It is," he said. Sharon leaned in and kissed his cheek. "However, the old wives' tale of kissing it to make it better, that really does seem to work."

She swatted at his arm, as she laughed. Andy shifted so she could sit down near him, and she sat on the side of the bed, looking at him. "Sorry you broke your nose," she frowned.

"I'm not," he groaned. "I got to see you. Sharon, it's been a really, really long week." She grabbed onto his shoulder as she started laughing, and he started laughing too.

"Oh, it's been a horrible week," she sighed. "The bright spot was Ricky's visit, but as soon as he left, I realized just how much I missed you. I've been going stir crazy all week wanting to call you or anything. Wait," she dug out her phone, and Andy watched as she punched away at it with her finger. He was curious as to what she could be doing, what drove her from their conversation to her phone. "There," she smiled at him.

"What were you doing? Oh, I forgot to call the kids," he sighed.

"No, I wasn't talking to any of the kids. We can do that later. No, I had over 10 emails for you sitting in my draft folder. Every time I wanted to talk to you, I wrote you an email, and I put them all in my draft folder. You should be getting them," she smiled.

Andy flashed a smile at her and picked up his phone. He had to dig around for it, but finally located it, and soon, the ding of his phone indicated he had messages. "Ahh, look at that-a bunch of new emails. Guess I'll have to read them later. The real thing is right here."

Sharon pulled his hand in hers, "So, I think this was a good week, though, even if it was hard. I realized that I don't want you out of my life. I miss you and want you in my life. The only person I wanted to talk to all week was you, good or bad, day or night. That says a lot considering the long workdays you've had," she bit her lip and tried not to laugh, but as soon as she saw Andy's eye roll, she burst out laughing.

"Laugh all you want," he said. "Provenza and I have something for you on Monday."

Sharon straightened up right away, "Oh, gosh, I should be worried."

"You should," he flashed a smile. The nurse walked in with his paperwork, explaining he could go home, but to watch the nose. Sharon and Andy both listened, each with questions about medication and healing, and 30 minutes later, they were walking out of the hospital.

"Everyone is staring," he hissed at her, and she glanced up to him.

"Well, you do look like you were shot," she admitted. "Sorry, if I had anything else for you to wear, I would have brought it."

Sharon helped Andy into the car, and then she started for his house. She could tell the pain was kicking in and the mild painkillers were wearing off. He was making faces, obviously in pain. "You need a good hot shower when you get home," she told him. "I'll see if I can dig up some dinner."

"You don't have to do that," he winced again, as he shifted in the car. "Really," he added.

"Andy, accept the help," she said.

"It's just that you don't need to be babysitting me or worrying about me," he complained.

"Andy, are we really going to argue about this of all things? Please, you're hurt, and I want to be around you. You were just saying how glad you were to see me. Well, take this as a great opportunity to break the rules of the week."

He shook his head, and mumbled, "Yes, Dear," earning a smack to the arm from her. "It's not that I don't want you around, the opposite," he said after the car had gone silent. "I just-I'm a guy, and here I look like an idiot with a gusher bleeding everywhere that hurts like crazy."

"Andy, it's okay," Sharon turned to him. "After everything, a broken nose with some blood isn't going to run me off. You are manly enough; you don't need to prove anything. I will admit, if we have to stop anywhere, I might deny knowing you with the blood-soaked shirt. I guess I'd be afraid they'd arrest me for domestic assault."

Andy started to laugh and hissed as the pain hit him again. He closed his eyes, trying to get comfortable until they got back to his house. By the time they did, he hadn't realized he'd dozed off in the car.

An hour later, Andy had rejoined the land of the living, and Sharon had cooked up some food for them. Andy had a lot of eggs, so she made breakfast for dinner. He joined her in the kitchen, where she had a cup of coffee waiting for him.

"Did the shower help?" she asked. He shrugged.

"Well, it still hurts, but I don't look like I've been brutally attacked. This looks great. Thanks for making dinner," he smiled, pulling her into his side. "Now, I can at least hold you without worrying I'll get blood all over you."

Sharon hummed, as she turned and pulled him in for a full embrace. The two stood like that before Sharon said, "Sit, eat. The food is getting cold, and you can tell me about this broken nose."

After they had finished cleaning up dinner, Andy turned to her, "Listen, I understand if you have to go, if I pulled you away from something this afternoon and evening, but if you want, we can watch a movie. I'm supposed to keep my nose elevated, so I need to sit up anyway.

Sharon smiled, "That sounds good. I don't have any plans. Honestly, I probably would have typed out two or three more emails to you tonight," she admitted.

"Really?" he grinned. "Captain, just can't stay away."

She bit her lip, "I do have a confession. I was fully prepared to drive over here at midnight-that would make it Sunday-just to see you then. I really missed you, Andy," she smiled.

He smiled back, pulling her to the couch, "Well, lucky for you, I would have let you in. I missed you too." The got settled, Sharon sitting tucked into his side, but aware of his nose. "Any preference?" he asked as he flipped the channels.

"Just that I get to sit right there with you," she admitted. "The television-I don't care."

"What time did we agree to meet with the priest tomorrow?" he asked.

"3:30," Sharon replied as Andy settled on a show. The two dropped into silence, just enjoying sitting with each other. It was only several hours later, Andy woke up, realizing his nose was bleeding again, this time onto Sharon's hair. Now, she looked like she had a head wound. He jumped up to get the bleeding stopped. Sharon woke up out of her slumber and felt her head; it felt off, and quickly she realized he had fallen asleep with his head on hers, and now she had blood on it.

"Is your nose okay?" she said, walking into the kitchen, wetting a paper towel and starting on her hair.

"It will be," he sighed. He turned to her, and she started to chuckle.

"What's so funny? You're the one who now looks injured. I'm so sorry about your hair," he said, as it was muffled with the tissue over his face.

"Your face-it's now purple. You look even worse, and I'm sorry for laughing, but this night," she sighed.

"The good with the bad, Sharon" he sighed. "The good with the bad."

Sharon nodded, "Progress, Andy. It's progress."


	30. Chapter 30

Sharon's phone rang, and she smiled when she saw the caller. "Hello," she drew out the word.

"Hey yourself," Andy replied. "So, I have a bit of an issue."

"What's that?" Sharon asked, as she finished working in her kitchen. It was now Sunday afternoon, and he was supposed to be picking her up to see the priest in an hour.

"I just realized that my car is still at the ball field. You picked me up at the hospital, and I haven't gone anywhere today, so-" Andy said as he let the sentence sink in.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Andy!" Sharon exclaimed. She started to chuckle, "I guess we are both clueless because I didn't think of it either. Listen, I'll get my stuff together and be right over. Well, it will be closer to an hour from now, but if I leave right now, I should be able to get you and get to the church on time."

"Okay," he chuckled. "Did you get all the blood out of your hair?"

Sharon was busy grabbing her keys, and she took one last look around as she closed her door to head for her elevator. "Yes, I did. Did you get your nose to stop bleeding?"

The two had tried to clean up Sharon's hair the night prior after Andy's nosebleed woke them. Once they got his nose to stop bleeding again, Sharon drove home. It was midnight, but she'd gotten a little catnap on the couch with Andy, so driving that late wasn't as big of a concern.

"It's stopped, but it looks like I've been assaulted," he admitted.

"Hmm, maybe we should tell the priest I got irritated with you," she grinned, now walking to her car. "Okay, I'm going to hang up now, and I'll be there shortly."

"I'll be waiting. Look for the guy with the purple face," he joked.

They made it to the church just five minutes late, Andy having called the priest to tell him they were on their way. "Ready for this?" he asked.

Sharon nodded, lacing her hands with his, "I am. It will be okay," she reassured him.

Twenty minutes later, both were still clinging to the "we'll be okay" attitude, while their complicated past was put under a microscope.

"Andy, I want you to tell me where you think your life would be right now if Sharon had come to you about Emily, when she was pregnant," the priest asked him.

Sharon turned to pay better attention to Andy. He frowned and gathered his thoughts before speaking, "Well, I guess I have the perfect image in my head and more recently, the image of what reality might have been. I have been clinging to the perfect image since I found out about Emily, but as I've screwed my head on straight more recently, I've started to realize that what I would have wanted and what would have happened would have been vastly different."

"How so?" the priest asked, Sharon very intrigued.

"Well, in my perfect world, Sharon would have told me about Emily. Honestly, she would have left Jack, because remember, I didn't know at the time she was married, but she would have divorced him, and we would have gotten married and raised our own family with Emily and most likely other kids. Sharon loves kids; I know that. I wouldn't have kept drinking. Sharon and the baby or babies would have been enough," he admitted.

The priest nodded and turned to Sharon, "Would that have been your perfect story too?"

Sharon bit her lip as she thought, "Well, honestly, my perfect story would have started before this all and would not have included Andy," she frowned. "It would have been Jack, staying loyal to my husband, as he should have done to me. However, there was something magical about Andy, and even back then, at the time, if I couldn't put my finger on it, I think it was love. I've thought about it a lot, and it sounds silly since we had this fling, basically, but I believe I loved him. He brought out more in me than Jack ever did, which is scary. I thought Jack was my whole world, but Andy really showed me he was. Back then, my perfect world wouldn't have included a baby with a man who wasn't my husband, but after getting pregnant, I thought I was living my perfect world, or the best it could be. Now, with what I know about my love for Andy now, if I had to say, yes, a perfect world would have been a life with Andy and Emily. It wasn't though, and I can't change that."

The priest nodded again; he was trying to let them talk, and he turned back to Andy, "So, you mentioned you recently realized reality would have been quite different. How so? Explain."

Andy took a deep breath, "Well, if Sharon had come to me, I don't think we would have worked out. I was living in a crappy apartment, drinking at night when she wasn't staying with me. I would have wanted to stop, but I don't' think I would have been able at that point; alcohol was too important. I think Sharon and I would have tried, but the long hours, the stress, the getting to know you-because we really didn't know each other then, we would have tried and failed, again. I would have been, well, we both would have been divorced twice. I would have lost Emily and maybe other kids too. We'd be where I am with my ex-wife now, barely speaking, all of us, and I have to say, I'm glad that isn't the case."

"So, really, Sharon created your better reality because you couldn't?" he asked.

"I wasn't given a choice!" Andy said loudly, and he immediately put his hand on Sharon's knee and dropped his frustration. "I mean, yes, she created the reality she needed to survive and protect our daughter. My reality, that I created, kept me drinking. Both realities, hers and mine, were a mess."

"Sharon, through all this, Andy has trust issues because you lied about -first, your marriage and second, your daughter. We've covered Emily, so tell us why you lied about being married," the priest suggested.

"It's not that I lied about being married," Sharon started to say.

"Sharon! I wouldn't have pursued you if I had known you were married! I look like the worst dirt bag-sleeping with a married woman, getting her pregnant, and then leaving her to raise the kid. That's not me!" Andy exclaimed.

"I know!" Sharon fired back. "I know. I guess I needed to feel attractive, wanted, desirable. I'd come home to find my husband in our bed with another woman. That devastated me, and for days, I didn't know how to climb out of that hole. It was even worse he left with her, and looking at it now, I can't believe I took him back. I was desperate. So, when I went to that class and met you," she turned to Andy, "and you liked me, well, I just wanted someone to notice me. You more than noticed me, and one thing led to another for me. I just needed to feel again, and you let me. Andy, even 25 years later, I still remember almost every detail of those two weeks. I can't explain it," she dabbed her eye with her tissue. "I fell hard for you that week, and I know I was in love with you all those years ago, even if it took me this long to realize it. It wasn't some revenge thing, well, it might have started that way, although I told myself it wasn't then, and maybe it was a little to get back at Jack, but oh, Andy, anytime I looked at Emily, anytime, over the last 25 years, I thought of you. I was desperate for a second chance at a family, and Jack was offering it. The idea of the whole story going public-both Jack cheating, my cheating, the pregnancy, it being you from work, it just overwhelmed me."

The priest continued, "So, you said it wasn't lying."

Sharon sighed, as she took a deep breath, "I honestly wasn't trying to keep it from you, Andy. I just didn't want to talk about my real life, and omission seemed easier. Yes, now, I see that I lied. I should have put an end to it before it started. That was my responsibility as a married woman."

"So, after all that, your time this week, and everything in between, what do you want the reality to be now?" he asked.

Andy looked at Sharon, and she looked back at him. He took her hand in his and held it. "I want to be with Sharon. I want the family I couldn't have then."

"Her family includes a son, a son who isn't yours, a son she had with her husband when she went back to him," the priest explained to Andy. Andy looked at him as he spoke and then back at Sharon.

"Yeah, and he's pretty great too. He was in town this week, and when he and I talked, he told me to take care of his mom. So, yes, I know it includes Ricky, and anything that is part of Sharon is a good thing."

Sharon teared up and smiled at Andy as he spoke. She could feel the priest looking to her, "I want a life with Andy. I am tired of the anger, the mistrust, even fighting it. I want to be with him," she offered a smile at Andy.

"Do you believe you trust him? the priest asked.

Sharon took a deep breath, "With my life. I am trying to let the past go. What happened, with both of us, came out of anger. Mistrust out of anger, and I want to trust him in love. Yes, I trust him. I'd trust him side by side at work, and then with my heart at home. It's still a work in progress, but yes."

"Andy, do you trust Sharon?" the priest asked.

Andy sighed, and he looked to her, "I trust this won't happen again, anything like what we've been through the last few years. I trust she won't lie to me. Yes, I trust her. I want to trust her," he admitted.

"Now, I want you to think of one thing that would challenge that trust, if this this happened, what would it be that would challenge your trust?" he asked, to both, not addressing either.

"If he started drinking again," Sharon said very quickly. Andy turned to her.

"I can't promise that, but I can promise I'm working day after day to make sure that doesn't happen," he told her.

"Sharon, what if that were to happen?" the priest asked.

Sharon pursed her lips, "I would hope I would help him through it now. I am committed to him, and I know that's not what he wants-to start drinking, I mean."

Both men nodded, and the priest turned back to Andy, "What would challenge your trust for Sharon?"

"If I felt she was keeping secrets from me, or keeping my family from me," he said. Sharon nodded, looking away.

"Well, that seems like a place to stop. You both have had a lot of time this week to think, and it seems it's been helpful. Trust seems to be the key component of all this, and while you both are on your way, I know you aware that some wounds take time to heal. Trust also is one thing when it's just between the two of you, but at some point, you must trust your relationship to others. You'll have to let others in, family, work, everyone, to see what you've created. It might not be easy, and with some, if not all those groups, the past might come up. The two of you will need to find a way to stand united when dealing with all this, trusting each other through it.

Now, I don't need you two to come every week or anything, but I'm here whenever you would like to talk. Might I suggest that the two of you start working on your family. It's part of both your lives, a huge part, and while you two are not married, it's combined already with Emily joining everyone. So, work on your joint relationship with your kids. Andy, you might not think Emily's existence affects your divorce and all that since she came along after you were divorced, but she does. Your two children didn't grow up knowing their sister, which I know was out of your control. Your kids probably have some trust issues too, with you, with Sharon, with you and Sharon together, so might I suggest you start to work on your family, and by your, I mean each of you together."

Sharon and Andy both nodded, but remained quiet. They only said anything when the three stood, and they thanked the priest for his time. They left the office, Andy taking Sharon's hand as soon as they started to the car. He heard Sharon take a deep breath.

"You okay?" he asked quietly.

She hummed as she nodded, "Yes, hard to admit mistakes, though," she shrugged.

He nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I know. AA helps me, though, but it's hard." Andy opened the door for Sharon; she was going to drive him to get his car, and he had to admit the time to just be a passenger was nice. His face was in serious pain. The drove to the baseball field in silence.

"Would you like to get some dinner?" she asked, hopeful to spend more time with him.

"Yeah," his face lit up, and then he grimaced when the pain hit him again. "However, could we eat at the condo? This," he gestured to his face, "isn't pretty."

Sharon leaned across the console and cupped his face, "It's pretty to me," she smiled. "Handsome," she corrected herself, as she stroked his cheek. He rolled his eyes. "But, yes," she nodded. "We can eat at the condo. Why don't I pick up some food?"

"I'll call it in-Italian tonight?" he asked.

"Perfect," she admitted, "and maybe we can discuss our relationship with the kids, all four of them."


	31. Chapter 31

Andy arrived at the condo before Sharon, but he waited for her in the parking garage area. He took the food bags from her before the two headed to the elevator.

"Thank you," she nodded to him when he took the bags. "You didn't have to pay for the food when you ordered it; I was happy to buy it, Andy."

"I know," he shrugged, "but I wanted to. I want to do anything I can for you, and I would have happily taken you to dinner tonight if I didn't look like this."

"Andy, I don't mind, but I understand," she smiled at him. They entered the condo and started to setup for dinner.

"Would you like to eat on your balcony? One of the best views in all of LA," he gestured with his hand toward the windows.

"That sounds lovely," she admitted and a few minutes later, they were seated and eating.

"So, the kids," he started the conversation. Both knew hiding from the facts wasn't going to help their progress, and the priest was right; they needed to finish talking to all the kids. They'd spoken to Sharon's kids because Ricky had come to town, and Emily was, of course, their daughter, but they still needed to speak to Andy's kids. "Nicole's been dating this guy, Dean, for a few months now. Maybe I could suggest we get together for dinner. Nathan could come too," he offered.

Sharon nodded, "I think that would be nice. I know both are not happy with me after everything," she sighed. Andy patted her hand.

"True, but we do need to start repairing that. Why don't we see if they can come to a cookout at my house? Dean, Nicole's boyfriend, has the two kids-remember, I ran into you at Christmas at the grocery store, on my way to meet them all. Anyway, the kids are cute, but little. It will make Nicole relax if she knows Dean is happy, and he's happy with the boys around him. I think it's really serious with the two of them. This could be the guy," he explained. Sharon listened to everything, taking it all in and nodding at his suggestion.

"I think a cookout at your place sounds perfect. With Father's Day coming up, why don't we suggest that? I'm sure Dean would appreciate the break from taking care of his boys, and that would give Nicole a chance to spend some time with you. Nathan may come if you can convince him," Sharon added.

Andy smiled, "I like that idea. I'll see if that would work with all of them. That would be a fantastic Father's Day gift."

The two continued eating, making small talk about their meeting with the priest. Sharon finished and put her fork down as she cleared her throat to bring up another subject.

"Andy, I want to talk to you about another issue that is lingering. Intimacy," she said softly. He looked up at her and nodded.

"Yeah," he sighed, putting down his fork. "I don't want to rush anything, Sharon."

"I don't either. We have a 26-year-old example of that," she added.

He nodded, "We're working so hard on trust, communication, and all that. Can we just let things be? Let things develop as they may?"

"Yes," she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "I'm more than okay with that, and I think the pace we have now is working well."

"Yeah, it's what I can handle right now. I want us to be good, back on solid ground, before anything more," Andy explained. "I hope that's okay because after last time," he sighed, "I can't-I can't again."

"I know," she put her hand on his. They squeezed each other's hands, and Andy finally stood, looking over the balcony.

"It's a beautiful view here," he offered a small smile to her. She had walked up and stood next to him. "Hard to believe looking down at the city now dark, that it can get so crazy, that there are so many crazies out there."

Sharon hummed as Andy wrapped one arm around her back, and the two stood there together, "I guess with that thought, I'm glad we found our way back to each other. I don't' want to navigate the crazy city without you."

"Me too, Sweetheart, me too," Andy kissed the side of her head.

It took a few days, but they finally had confirmation from Nicole Father's Day was a go. Nathan was being non-committal, but they all hoped he would come. By the time Father's Day rolled around, Sharon was a bit nervous. She'd always liked Nicole, but she knew Nicole was hurt by everything that had happened. She also knew Nicole was wary of any progress Andy had made, not to mention the progress Sharon and Andy had made together. She hoped the day would go smoothly.

Sharon navigated her way to Andy's place for their Father's Day cookout. She'd spent the morning at Mass, Andy having to work, or he would have gone with her too. Chief Johnson had released them after lunch after finishing up their current case. It was now 3:00, and she was going over, armed with all the food she had prepared. It seemed silly to have made this much, but she was nervous and wanted things with Andy's kids to go well. Plus, she hadn't met Dean or his boys yet, so she'd made a few "toddler friendly" things for them. She eyed the present she had for Andy, seated in her passenger seat. She hoped he liked it; really, she knew he would, but she hoped it was a positive gift, not a negative one.

"Andy?" she called out as she made her way into his house armed with food.

"I'll be right in; I'm cleaning the grill," she heard him call out to her. She put the food on the counter and then made her way toward the back patio.

"Hi," she smiled, as she stepped out and leaned up to kiss him. It was a quick kiss, all had been so far, but both seemed to be comfortable with that currently.

"Hi yourself," he smiled at her, his hands covered in grease and grill gunk. "I'd give you a proper kiss, but" he held up his hands. Sharon nodded and back away from him.

"Probably not the best idea with my outfit," she nodded to herself, wearing white shorts and a green top. She really wished she'd thought her outfit through a bit more on the drive over, realizing white shorts might not have been the best choice for toddlers. It was too late now, and Andy's glance at her indicated he didn't mind her outfit choice at all.

"You look really nice," he said, glancing back at himself. He was still in his yard attire, having cut the grass when he got home from work. Sharon could tell he was probably on his way to the shower to freshen up before the cookout.

"Thank you, and your yard looks great. I can tell you've been working hard," she added.

He nodded and looked down at his clothing, "Yes, and I'm in desperate need of a shower."

"Well, why don't you go shower, and I'll finish unloading the food," Sharon suggested.

"Nope," he waved her off. "I'm going to do both, unload your car and then shower," he started toward the door. Sharon just chuckled as she followed him. As they unloaded the car, she made sure he didn't see the gift she'd brought him. She'd taken that in first with her purse, with plans to give it to him before everyone arrived. She didn't know how late the evening would go or how well; she didn't want to wait.

While Andy showered, Sharon worked on arranging the food setup. Andy had the burgers and vegetables marinating, along with some hotdogs for Dean's kids. "Sharon," Andy called out to her from his room. "Can you help me decide on a shirt?"

Sharon gathered her gift and made her way back to his room. He was standing in lightweight casual slacks digging through his shirt drawer.

"Personally, I like that look," Sharon used her finger to indicated Andy standing there in pants and no shirt, "but the kids might not appreciate it." She smiled at him, and he glanced at her and smiled too. She made her way to his bed and sat down on it to talk to him while he finished getting ready.

"This one or this one?" he held up two shirts and Sharon nodded to the navy blue one on his left. "What's that?" he asked, looking at her wrapped gift.

She gave him a bashful look, "Your Father's Day gift."

"You don't have to get me a Father's Day gift; I'm not your father," he frowned, moving to sit next to her.

"Oh, yes, I do," she nodded. "I owe you 25 other Father's Day gifts, but this is a start. You're my daughter's father, and without you, I wouldn't have her, so yes, I got you a gift."

He smiled at her, squeezing her hand and glancing down at the gift, "Can I open it?"

"I hoped you would," she said, shifting on the bed so he could sit next to her.

Andy eyed her as he opened the gift, and Sharon leaned her head on his shoulder to look at it with him, "I should tell you I'm impressed you didn't see this before now. I've been working on it round the clock at the condo anytime you haven't been there."

"A photo album," he stated as he opened it. "Sharon," he sighed.

"It took me a long time to go through all of my old photo albums and pick out pictures of Emily. I wanted you to have some, more than just some, I wanted you to have her childhood," she said as he opened the album and started to look through it. She'd stared from birth and documented everything important, along with random silly ones, along the way. Several included photos with Sharon and Ricky too.

"I'm overwhelmed," he shook his head, glancing through it. "This is an amazing gesture. Thank you, Sharon, he pulled her into his side and held her while they flipped through the photos. He chuckled at some, mainly some of her Halloween costume choices.

"I'd be happy to sit and go through this with you, explaining the photos when we have time," she offered. "I wanted you to have this, Andy. You need this."

"This is a great gift, Sharon," he acknowledged, "and I would love to sit with you later and go through the photos. Thank you, Sweetheart," he leaned in and kissed her again.

"It seemed like a good place for us to start, a Father's Day gift for you," she shrugged. "You didn't seem like the flower type," she smiled.

"No, that would be you," he grinned at her. "Orchids and lilies-I know your flower preferences."

Andy shifted, and Sharon stilled him, as something clicked with her, "Wait, did you-" she shook her head, "Did you send me flowers on Mother's Day?"

Andy looked at her, a guilty expression on his face and offered a small shrug, "I did," he admitted. "I told them not to put a card in with the flowers. I hope it didn't drive you too crazy."

She shook her head, "I got two bouquets, thinking both were from the kids, but you just mentioned flowers, and it clicked. The one full of lilies was from you, wasn't it?"

"As you just said, I owe you 25 years of Mother's Day gifts, and no matter what was going on with us, I wanted you to know I appreciate you. I didn't want to make a big deal of it, but I wanted to make you happy. You sacrificed so much to raise the kids, almost all alone, and flowers seemed like such a simple thing, so yeah, it was me," he admitted.

Sharon leaned in and kissed him quickly, "You are a good man, Andy. Thank you. They were lovely and brought a huge smile to my face all that week."

"It was the least I could do. I wanted to send you favorite chocolates, but the flower shop was out of them," he told her.

Her eyes went wide, "That wasn't my division!"

"Huh?" he asked.

"My birthday-you put candy on my desk at work, didn't you? I thought it was my division. Only you would know my favorites."

"Guilty," he sighed. "I couldn't forget your birthday, even when things were so tense with us. I got in at 4:30 that morning to leave those for you for fear of being seen by anyone."

"Andy," she offered him a smile as she whispered his name. They stared at one another for a few moments before Andy leaned in and tenderly put his hand on her face and pulled her closer. They shared an intimate kiss, the most intimate one they'd shared since they'd started to work things out. It wasn't long, but both could feel the love behind it. Andy pulled back and the two had their foreheads together. "Thank you for always thinking of me, Andy."

"Thank you for this," he held up the album. "We'd better get ready for the cookout. They will be here shortly."

The two worked in the kitchen, noting the time. Dean and Nicole would be there at any minute, but Andy was interrupted with his video chat request.

"It's Emily," he said, putting the computer on the kitchen counter. He pulled Sharon over with him so they could talk to her together.

"Happy Father's Day, Dad," Emily said immediately before she even saw the screen. "Mom," she said surprised.

"Hi Honey," Sharon smiled.

"Hi Em, thanks," Andy nodded to her.

"What's going on there? Mom, I'm surprised to see you at Dad's house," she said with some confusion.

"Well, as we've told you, we're working on things," Andy started. Emily didn't live nearby, so she was unaware of just how much time the two were spending together. She'd only been answering texts from Sharon, not engaging in a lot of real conversation, so her knowledge of their situation was still limited.

"I see," she said. "So, what are you doing? Dinner?"

"Your sister is coming over for dinner with her boyfriend," Andy said.

"Nicole is bringing Dean?" she asked.

"And the boys," Sharon added. "I haven't met Dean or the boys yet. We are hoping it's a good chance to start healing and mending fences with Nicole."

"I see," Emily said. "I hope it goes well. Nicole and I have been talking a lot."

"That's good to hear, Emily," Sharon smiled. "I want you to be close with your sister."

"So, Dad," she said changing subjects, "have you had a nice day?"

"Pretty good," ne nodded and looked to Sharon, "getting better," he winked to her. "I had to work earlier. We were closing out a case. Cut the grass, got ready for the cookout, but really, your mom made most of the food. Nicole should be here any minute," he explained.

"I hope you got my card," Emily said.

"I did!" he smiled. "Although, you didn't have to suggest a Yankee game when I visit in a couple weeks."

"I hope it works out. I have a friend who works for the organization, and I might be able to get discounted tickets. You just can't wear your Dodger gear that day," she teased.

"Oh, that sounds really nice for the two of you," Sharon smiled. "A perfect idea."

"Well, thank you for that, Emily, but you don't have to get me things. The card was more than enough; I'm just so glad we can spend time together soon. I got a great gift from your mom," he grinned.

Emily looked at the screen in surprise, "What?"

He held up the photo album Sharon had made; he'd brought it with him to the kitchen, "25 years of Emily," he smiled. "Oh, the old photos I get to laugh at."

"Oh, Mom," she sighed. "I can only imagine what you dug up."

"Only the best," Sharon smiled.

"We're here," they all heard, looking up and were quickly greeted by the front door opening.

"Ahh, Nicole and gang are here," Andy explained.

"That's fine. My show starts soon. I just wanted to give you a call. Love you," she said to both and clicked off before they could say anything.

"Well, that went better. She actually spoke to you," he said, as the two turned their attention to Nicole.

"Let's hope the rest of the evening has that same theme," Sharon said, as she followed Andy to greet everyone.


	32. Chapter 32

"Sharon," Nicole said meeting her gaze, as Sharon followed Andy into the room. Andy had walked over to shake Dean's hand and was currently giving Nicole a hug when Sharon was spotted.

"Hi, Nicole," Sharon smiled warmly, a bit apprehensive. Nicole nodded back to her, checking her out, a bit wary of everything.

"It's been a long time," she added, and Sharon nodded in agreement. "This is my boyfriend, Dean, and his two boys, Jacob and Christopher, or really as Dean's shortened it now, Jake and Chris."

Sharon moved in next to Andy, who had finished hugging Nicole, and she shook Dean's hand, "Hi, Dean. It's nice to meet you. I've heard about you and your boys from Andy here."

"Oh, this is Sharon, Dad's-well, this is Sharon," Nicole nodded.

"Hi, Sharon," Dean used his one free hand to shake hers. He was holding Chris in his hand with Jake wrapped around his leg. "Nice to meet you too, and I've also heard about you."

Sharon bent down and met Jake's glance, "Are you Jake?"

His eyes got big, and he nodded. "I'm Sharon. I'm a friend of Nicole's dad, and we made a lot of food for you to eat today. Would you like to see what we made? I hope there's something you like."

"Hotdog?" he asked. All the adults chuckled, and Andy bent down, putting his arm around Sharon, "Hey, Buddy. Yup, I've got hotdogs, but I might need some help cooking them. And, I'm pretty sure Sharon here brought some bubbles. Do you like bubbles?" to which Jake smiled and shook his head. The group moved in from the living room area into the rest of the house.

"It's a beautiful day. If you want to bring the boys outside, they can play here. I cut the grass, so they have plenty of room to explore," Andy explained.

"Sounds good," Dean nodded, looking to Nicole. "Could you grab Chris' sippy cup for him?"

"Sure," Nicole smiled and went in search of it while Dean followed Andy.

"Speaking of drinks, I'll get drinks for everyone," Sharon chimed in. "Nicole, Dean, what can I get you to drink?"

"Lemonade if you have it," Dean answered.

"I do," Sharon nodded. "Lemonade, iced tea, water," she started rattling off drinks.

"Iced tea for me, Sharon," Nicole added, as she dug through the bag. Sharon went into Andy's kitchen to start preparing the drinks.

Nicole appeared in the kitchen area after she'd located Chris' sippy cup, "I can take those drinks out," she offered.

Sharon looked over and smiled at her, "Thank you. Dean seems very kind," she offered, "and, I don't have to tell you the boys are adorable."

Nicole smiled bashfully, "Thank you. I like him very much, the boys too. We work together, so I've gotten to know him pretty well. We've been dating since the Fall. His wife passed away after Chris was born, so he's had a rough road."

Sharon listened, now having finished pouring the drinks, stood and faced Nicole. Nicole seemed nervous, fiddling with the cup.

"Sounds like it," Sharon offered. "I'm glad you seem so comfortable with the boys."

Nicole shrugged, "Practice, I guess. It wasn't this easy at first. I wasn't sure how I would feel being around toddlers, someone else's children, but" she shrugged again, "they've grown on me, and I'm very attached to them. Crazy," she shook her head, "to get attached to children who aren't mine."

Sharon hummed, not thinking Nicole was trying to stir up any old wounds, even if it had been a fact she pointed out. Nicole was just discussing her own experience now. Sharon was about to say something, but Nicole spoke quickly. "Please don't hurt my Dad, Sharon. He can't take it again."

Sharon looked up and met Nicole's gaze. She saw fear and panic, concern for Andy. Sharon almost didn't know what to say, "Nicole," she paused, gathering her words, "just as I'm not going to pry into the nitty gritty details of your relationship with Dean, I hope you will respect that with your dad and me too. I love you dad, and the last thing I want to do is hurt him. I know it's been a very rough couple of years, but we are both trying very hard to acknowledge or mistakes, talk openly about things, and start again. We want all four of you kids to know we are trying, we truly are, but we want to keep things to ourselves. It's between Andy and me. I am so very glad you and Emily are getting to know each other. The little she's said, she likes you very much. I can't change the past, but I can want a future for our family, our whole family. Emily links us all together, and I hope that we can build on that, even now, 26 years later. I've known of you and your brother since you were the age of Dean's kids, and I care about you and your brother very deeply too. Our family, our whole family, is trying to heal, and I very much appreciate you making the effort to come here tonight."

Nicole listened to everything Sharon had to say, remaining silent while she thought too, "Sharon, my dad hurt us with his drinking growing up. I can't tell you the nights I wished he didn't drink, that my dad didn't have to live somewhere else. I was old enough to know he wasn't the best dad then. I guess on some level, I get why you didn't want that for Emily. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I've even talked to my mom. She said a mom wants to always protect her kids, so I am starting to understand that. These boys aren't mine, and yet, I want to protect them too."

Sharon gave her a small smile and nodded. She moved to Nicole, pulling her in for a hug, "I can promise I want the best for your dad and for us. I know I hurt him, but we're really trying. We are better together. Each of us was miserable apart."

Nicole reciprocated the hug and chuckled, "Oh, I know. Dad was a mess. Things are still somewhat shaky with us, but he was even more on edge without you around. You are good for him."

"He's better for me," Sharon squeezed Nicole's arm, pulling away. "Let's go find all those guys," she encouraged, the two a bit less on edge after their chat. Sharon knew she still had a lot of work to do with Nicole and Nathan, if he ever came around, but at least Nicole was willing to talk and listen.

"Happy Father's Day, Dad," Nicole said as she and Sharon carried the drinks outside. "I'm sorry-with everything inside, I didn't get to tell you before."

"Thanks, kiddo," he smiled at her, hugging her when she came to him. Sharon turned to Dean.

"A Happy Father's Day to you too, Dean," she smiled, watching as the boys tried running with the bubble wands. "The boys are even cuter than the pictures."

"Thanks, Sharon," he smiled. "I think they are pretty great. Nicole helped them with my gift," he smiled at her. Nicole returned the smile. "She took them to a pottery place and had their handprints made. It's really amazing, something I never would have thought to do."

"What a great idea," Sharon nodded, smiling at the couple. "Nicole, you have no idea how nice those sentimental gifts are."

She shrugged, "Well, I thought he'd like it, and he did. Dad, I have a gift for you too," she started digging in the bag she'd brought out with Chris' sippy cup. "Here you go."

"Thanks, Nicole," he took it and opened it. The grill was cooking away, so he had a moment to open it. Sharon was standing nearby, so she peered over his shoulder to see it.

"Oh, wow, thank you," he smiled warmly, opening the gift to find a tri-fold picture display with a recent picture of Nicole, Nathan, and Emily.

"You're welcome," she nodded. "I hadn't seen one like this at your house, so I talked the other two into sending me a picture to make that."

"It's perfect; I'll find just the right spot for it," he smiled at her.

"Great. Now, Dad, have you spoken to my lovely siblings today, or am I the good one?" Nicole teased.

Sharon laughed, as she was now sitting at the table with the bubbles helping the boys. Nicole had a way about her to be blunt.

"Ha ha funny girl. Emily called earlier, just before you got here, but Nathan hasn't called. I was hoping he might come by tonight. Have you spoken to him?" Andy asked.

Nicole nodded, "He said he might come by. I don't know Dad; you know how he's been."

While the food cooked, the four sat around the patio table making small talk and watching the boy play with the bubbles. The boys were a nice distraction, a great way to break the ice and give the group plenty of topics to discuss. By the time dinner was ready to serve, everyone felt much more relaxed.

Dinner was enjoyable, and thankfully, the weather was perfect to eat outside. Dean's boys were delighted to find hotdogs, fruit, and ice cream for dessert. It might have been a couple of decades, but Sharon remembered toddler food well.

"Dad, your face is starting to look better," Nicole leaned over to examine Andy's nose. "Finally doesn't look like a suspect got the best of you."

"And, why would you assume it would have been a suspect? Sharon could have clocked me a good one," he teased, earning a chuckle from Sharon.

"Considering that would have been police brutality, and I'm in charge of investigating that type of thing, I don't think it would have gone well for either of us," Sharon winked to Andy before taking a bite of her meat.

"So, Sharon," Dean asked, "this guy ever get in trouble with you?"

Andy groaned, shaking his head, and Sharon patted his arm, "Maybe a few times," she grinned, "years ago, of course. Now, have you met Lieutenant Provenza? Those two together," she grinned even more, "let's say, if I get a call that starts with Flynn and Provenza, I know there's a story and a mess."

"Provenza," Dean nodded as he chewed, "I've heard that name. Haven't met the guy yet, but heard all about him."

"You won't forget him when you meet him, Dean," Sharon chuckled, as she winked at Andy. He rolled his eyes at her. "I made dessert if you would like any?"

The four agreed on dessert, and Sharon and Andy stood to clear the plates. They told Dean and Nicole to enjoy some time together with the boys. The two made their way into the kitchen with everything. Andy cornered Sharon in the kitchen.

"Have I told you how great you are?" he said as he put his hands on the counter, thus blocking her in. She smiled at him, and he leaned in and kissed her.

"Well, maybe not today," she giggled when he started to kiss her neck, "but, it takes one to know one, Lieutenant. You're pretty great yourself, and I think your Father's Day is going better than you might have predicated."

"It is," he mumbled into her neck, "Thank you for setting up all of this. It's been a great day with two of my favorite ladies." Sharon met his lips, and the two kissed until Nicole cleared her throat from the doorway.'

"Sorry," she held up a sippy cup, "I came for more water."

"Nicole, you really are old enough to use a grown-up cup," Sharon joked to break the tension. Sharon could sense Nicole was uncomfortable walking in and seeing Sharon and Andy kissing in the kitchen. Andy backed up and moved away from Sharon as the two worked on serving dessert, a cobbler Sharon had made.

"What's this?" Nicole asked, after she'd filled the cup and stood to the side to help the two with dessert. She'd glanced over at the counter, picking up the book.

"Oh, that's my other Father's Day gift," Andy grinned. "Sharon put that together."

Nicole's eyes went wide as she opened it, and she put her hand to her mouth as it registered just what the gift was, "Oh, my," she said. "Emily's life in pictures?"

Sharon nodded, a small smile, "Yes, your dad is owed that and much more."

Nicole met her gaze and nodded in return as she flipped through the book, "Oh, look at that scowl! That's so funny. Dad, she looks like you here," she pointed out the picture, and both Sharon and Andy laughed at it.

"That was Emily at her dance recital when she was seven. She thought she could wear these terrible cowboy boots in the recital because they were her favorite. She was going through a 'I hate everything but the boots phase' and I had to pry them off her at the recital. She stood on the stage like that through their first number. I didn't know whether to laugh or be upset with her," Sharon chuckled as she retold the story.

"So, did she stop pouting?" Nicole asked, and Andy was looking at Sharon took with interest. These were the stories he couldn't wait to get from Sharon when they looked at the book together.

Sharon bit her lip as her gaze met theirs, "Ahh, yes, she did," she said as she looked down. She looked back up to find two sets of brown eyes waiting for her to finish the story. She sighed, "Jack showed up," she shrugged. "Emily saw him walk in, late of course, and that fixed everything, well for Emily. She smiled at him, waved, and she jumped right back into the routine," Sharon rolled her eyes. "We hadn't seen him in at least six months, but he came to her recital, and I'm pretty sure he had a date with him. I never got to find out. He stayed long enough to tell her good job before he blew back out of town. We didn't see him for another year after that."

The silence was tense, and while Sharon knew the story was one Andy would hear, it didn't help that it had turned a pleasant evening into an uncomfortable one.

"Well, this is a great gift, Sharon,"Nicole smiled, grabbing the cup she'd brought with her and nodding to the two before going back outside.

"I'm sorry," Sharon sighed, looking up. "I put that picture in, not thinking the whole story through," she turned to him, her eyes misting over. "Andy, I didn't mean to open wounds with this."

He pulled her in, sighing, and he stroked her hair, "Sharon, he was, even is, part of her life. I hate he was such a dirt bag to you all, dropping in and out when he could. He said he'd be her dad, and he failed. Thank you for the album, for all the pictures," he smiled. "We can talk more later. Let's go spend some time with Nicole, Dean, and the boys before they leave, huh?" Sharon nodded, and the two carried the desserts outside.

They were almost done eating when they heard the back door open, "Hi," a tentative Nathan waved as he stepped onto the patio.

"Nic, Dean," he nodded to them. "Dad, ahh, Sharon," he nodded to them. "Happy Father's Day," he said quickly to Andy who had stood to shake his hand.

"Glad you could come," Andy smiled at him sincerely. Nathan nodded and took the seat Sharon offered him next to her.

"Sharon," he nodded. "Long time, no see. Any other sisters to drop on me, or did you and Dad just fool around enough for Emily?"

"Nathan!" Andy exclaimed. Sharon closed her eyes, getting her anger under control.

"Nate, please," Nicole pleaded. "Please."

Nathan nodded, and Sharon turned to him, "Nathan, I'm glad you came. You are angry; I get that. Your dad and I love each other, and we are working on things, just as you and he are working on your own relationship."

"Nathan, do not start in on Sharon," Andy lectured him. "That is not your place."

Nathan raised his hand, and the adults grew quiet. They all turned their attention on the boys; thankfully, the boys were being good and a very nice distraction from the tension.

"Nathan, how's work?" Andy asked, turning the discussion back to easier things. The group continued to talk, the tension easing, as the evening went on. Shortly after dessert, the boys started to wind down quickly.

"We'd better get going," Dean stood. "The boys are about ready to crash."

"I'm going to head out too," Nathan added, turning to Sharon and Andy. "Aunt Angela said she likes you Sharon and that I should give you another chance. You and Dad, though," he shook his head, "it seems like you two keep making one mistake after another. How are we to trust this isn't another mistake, that the two of you won't start up the happy family again to have it implode?"

Andy gripped Nathan's arm, "Let's talk for a minute, okay?" he said as he pulled Nathan to the side, and Sharon helped Nicole and Dean with the boys.

"I'm so glad I got to finally meet you, Dean," Sharon smiled. "Your boys are wonderful."

"Good to meet you, too, Sharon," Dean nodded. She helped them to the car.

"Nicole, thank you for being so great with Emily," Sharon told her. "It means a lot, and I know Emily is glad you two are getting along so well."

"Me too, Sharon," Nicole smiled before getting into the car. "I always wanted a sister-just didn't know it was a reality. I hope to go visit her."

"She'd love that. I would too, for both of you," Sharon smiled before closing her door. As the car pulled away, she turned and saw Nathan and Andy walking toward her.

"Sharon, I'm sorry about before," Nathan said, "and, I will stay out of it."

Sharon nodded, "Thank you. I love your dad and am sorry this has gotten messy. We're trying to make it right now."

"Dad said the same. Dad, I'll talk to you soon," Nathan shook his hand again. Sharon nodded to Nathan as he gave her a small nod. Sharon and Andy stood hand in hand as he pulled away. Sharon leaned into Andy's side.

"At least he came," she offered a positive.

He groaned, "At least he came. We talked a little. I hope it will help, but like anything, it's not going to improve tonight." Sharon listened as he spoke, and then he continued, "What will get better tonight is my mood," he interlaced his fingers with hers as he grinned at her. "I have this amazing present I want to sit down and look at with you. It has to be you because you have all the stories. I want every single story, good or bad," he leaned in and kissed her quickly.

Sharon hummed, as she smiled into his kiss, "It might take all night, all those stories," she teased.

"We've got all night, then," he pulled her to his side, as they walked back to the house. Dinner with the kids hadn't been terrible. Progress.


	33. Chapter 33

"So, that went pretty well," Sharon smiled as they collapsed on the couch. The dishes had been done; the food had been put away, and there was still time to enjoy what was left of the evening.

"It did," Andy nodded, opening his arm for Sharon to snuggle up next to him. "I am sorry about Nathan's outburst with you, but we both kind of expected it. Now, what I'd really like to talk about is this," he said, leaning forward and picking up the photo album Sharon had spent so much time creating.

"You don't have to look at it tonight on my account," Sharon looked up at him and smiled. "I'm happy to look at it with you whenever you like."

"Good," he grinned. "I'd love to look at it now. I'm very touched you put some much time and effort into making this."

"It's the least I could do, and I'll dig out all the albums so you can look through them anytime. I wanted you to have a collection of your own photos at least," she explained as Andy opened the album. Over the next hour, they flipped through page after page of photos of Emily, Sharon having stories for so many of them.

"This one," she started to laugh, "this one, Emily wanted Ricky to be a girl, so when I brought him home from the hospital, she put all her baby doll blankets on him. She told me she wanted him to have pink blankets, not blue ones," she chuckled, as she fingered the photo of Ricky in his baby swing covered with pink blankets, with Emily grinning next to him. "Oh, she was insistent on a girl, but it didn't take long for her little brother to win over her heart."

Andy nodded, eyeing the page, "And, then Jack left?"

Sharon hummed, "When Ricky was a month old, yes, as we've talked about before. Emily was only three, but she could tell something wasn't right. She was such a good helper with Ricky, and she asked about Jack for a couple of weeks, even with her little mind, asking if Jack left because Ricky had moved in," she said with a sigh. "I can't believe that I," she shook her head. "Looking back, I can't believe I was in that situation. Two kids with two fathers, and I was alone. I know it was my own doing, but looking back, I have to ask myself what I was thinking, and I really don't know."

Andy kissed the side of her head. Their trip down memory lane was good, but still somewhat painful.

"Oh, then there was ballet," she smiled, pointing to the next picture. "I enrolled her in ballet after Jack left. She needed something to do, and she had a little friend at daycare who was doing ballet. It seemed like the right thing to get her mind off Jack and also off the idea she was no longer the only child. It was a bit of a transition for her in many ways-getting used to a sibling and getting used to not having Jack around. Ballet really changed her life," she turned smiling at him. "Did Nicole ever do ballet?"

"She tried it for a couple of years. She was older than Emily, though, around five. Honestly, though, with all my problems, Sandra couldn't keep up with everything, not that is any fault of her. I wasn't there to help, and she had to worry about my sorry self, even though we were divorced. I still wanted to see the kids when I could. Nicole wasn't into it either, not so much that she was upset about stopping. She got more into art and math as she got a bit older."

"Hmm, Emily was terrible at math," she shook her head. "Ricky was a whizz, and it drove Emily nuts that while younger, he could help her with her homework. She did well in history and English, those things, even in French, but she didn't like math or science for that matter. Ricky was the opposite, so if they could ever get over their frustrations with each other, they were good help with homework."

"Kindergarten?" he looked at Sharon as he pointed to another picture. Sharon smiled and nodded, "First day, and then there," she pointed again, "last day. I did that for each grade level to show their growth. See," she indicated several pictures showing Emily's progression through school.

"Oh, there's middle school and braces," Sharon groaned. Andy gave her a funny look, and Sharon continued, "She hated wearing braces, as many do, but she tried everything she could to get me to have them taken off. All the food you aren't supposed to eat-she tried eating it, getting it stuck in her braces, as if that would convince me to have them taken off. She was terrible about her braces."

Andy chuckled, "Not my daughter," as he winked at Sharon and looked back at the book. "Your parents' condo?" he pointed to another photo.

"Yes," Sharon smiled. "She and Ricky both started skiing as soon as they were toddlers and able to get on skis. They are both great skiers, although, with her job now, she's supposed to avoid that type of thing."

The two continued to talk, and then they reached her high school graduation.

"That was a good day, but another frustrating one," she let out her breath and turned to Andy, rolling her eyes. "Jack showed up, and he was so mad we didn't have a ticket for him. As you know, both she and Ricky went to Catholic school, and their graduation was indoors. Each family was given a set number of tickets, and if you wanted additional ones, you had to volunteer during the year. That was fine. We had enough because it was going to be Ricky and my parents; that was it. I'd tried to get ahold of Jack during the fall, even leaving messages telling him what was going on, and he never replied. Instead, he showed up that day, blaming me for not having a ticket for him. It was a mess. Luckily, Emily didn't see that; she heard about it later, but she was already at the ceremony, and Jack just showed up at the house like he'd taken a dog on a walk and had just come back home. My dad got into it with him, and I was very glad he was there to deal with Jack."

"Did he see her graduate?" Andy asked.

Sharon rolled her eyes, "Of course. He managed to sweet talk his way in, as he always does. I left him at the door with my dad. My dad was willing to miss the ceremony to keep Jack at bay, but at the last minute, both came in. I never asked how he did it, but he showed up. Afterward, he told Emily he couldn't stay and was probably the first out of the parking lot that day. He barely spoke to any of us, and I'm not sure he even asked where she was going to college. She didn't see him for over another year after that. That was Jack, just popping in and out where he saw fit."

Sharon's phone rang, and she groaned, guessing it was a work call out. She got off the couch and found it, giving Andy a frown, indicating it was work. After getting the details, she hung up. Andy had stood up too and had started to collect Sharon's things.

"Sorry, I hate having to leave right now," she sighed. "I'm glad we got to spend some time together," she smiled at him.

"Me too," he clutched her arms, leaning in to kiss her. "We'll have to continue looking at my present another time."

"I'd like that," she smiled. He walked her to do the door, and she turned to him. "Happy Father's Day, Andy. I had a very good day with you. Nicole and Dean are a good match, and I'm glad I got to meet him. Nicole and I mended some fences, and she and Emily have been doing a lot of talking. I'll probably be stuck at work for a couple days," she sighed.

"Then, we'll see each other when we see each other," he leaned in, kissing her deeply. "I love you, Sharon."

"I love you, too, Andy," she kissed him again before leaving.

Sharon did get stuck at work for her 72-hour reporting cycle, and she and Andy barely had a moment to talk. They were both looking forward to her wrapping her case so they could spend time together. He was going to be heading to New York soon to see Emily for the 4th of July holiday weekend. He ended up having problems with that.

"They just cancelled my vacation time!" he stormed into her office, almost two weeks later. It startled Sharon, as she was hard at work, and Andy's outburst made her jump and drop her pen. She looked up to see Andy, red in the face, obviously angry, and still pacing the floor.

"Come on! I put in for that leave a couple months ago! Pope! That guy, thinking he can just cancel leave!" Andy exclaimed.

"Andy," Sharon tried. "Andy!" she said louder, finally catching Andy's attention. He stopped his rant and turned to her. "Close the door," she pointed to her open door where some of her office was taking note of Andy's outburst. At least with his reputation, they weren't surprised to see him ranting in Sharon's office of all places. Andy stopped, turned, and closed the door. He turned back to Sharon, who was watching him closely. She nodded to the chair, and he sank down into it. Sharon gave him her full attention.

"Pope just told Chief, who just told me, that I can't take my vacation to go to New York. I swear all of this is going to his head, Pope. He and Delk, those two," Andy threw an angry glare at Sharon.

"Why did Pope cancel your leave?" she asked.

"He said that with all the pressure from above, he can't have Major Crimes short staffed because get this-he's already planned to take leave, and with him out, Chief has more duties. With her taking on more and refusing to delegate to Taylor, which Pope doesn't want either, they can't have me gone too. My plans get ruined because Pope wants to take his on vacation. Sharon, this is nuts!" he said, exasperated.

Sharon sighed, as she rolled her eyes, "I'm sorry, Andy. I don't know what to say, other than Pope likes nothing more than to jerk people around. I wish I could do something. I always have an ace up my sleeve with him, but if I played my card now, he'd find out about us."

"I don't want that now," Andy admitted. "I mean, I bought the refundable ticket; I've learned that the hard way, but still. I've really been looking forward to seeing Emily and Angela. I can't believe I have to cancel."

"I'm sorry," Sharon bit her lip as she stood and moved over to console Andy. She glanced at her blinds, and luckily, they were closed. She often kept them closed here in FID, as usually she was chewing out an officer for something that had happened. She moved and sat on the edge of her desk where her feet were between his. Her gaze met his, and she gave him a lopsided shrug.

"Maybe we can find another time for you to go to New York. I know it's not the same, but she will have a fall show too, and you can see that. I think Pope will owe you big time for pulling your vacation, and we just need to find the right way to play that card on him," Sharon explained.

Andy nodded, listening to her, and she could almost see the anger subsiding. "I just hate having to call and disappoint her. I don't want her to think I value work over her."

"She won't," Sharon shook her head. "We can both talk to her, and she's had to see me cancel trips too. She's grown up in this life, Andy, so even though it's rough to handle, she gets it."

He looked up at her with a sheepish glance, "Would you go with me when I reschedule?"

Sharon pursed her lips, trying to find the best way to answer Andy, "It's not that I don't want to go with you, but I want you to have time with her."

"Well, I want time with both of you, together. She's our daughter, and I want her to spend time with her mom and her dad, together. For once, I want her to see her parents love her and each other. If we can swing the schedules, Sharon, I'd really like you to go."

"I'd love to go with you, Andy," Sharon gave a quick glance up and then quickly leaned in, grasping Andy's face and kissing him. "Honestly, it's something I haven't let myself dream until recently, spending time with our daughter together. So, yes, that can be the card I pull with Pope. I can make sure to get time off when you do. He won't notice it's the two of us at the same time because we are in different divisions. I'll deal with that one."

"You do have a way with him," Andy sighed as he shook his head. "I'll let Emily know and find out her schedule for the fall."

Sharon nodded in agreement, "Well, look on the bright side. Unless you have a triple homicide or something, maybe we'll be able to spend part of the 4th of July together."

It was a week later that Andy scowled at Sharon as she walked through the office talking to Chief Johnson. She flashed him a small smile, aware they were at work and anything else would be inappropriate. As she passed by him, he mumbled, "Triple homicide-it's like you are a fortune teller." The team had caught just that, a triple homicide that was quickly turning into more. They were tracking a serial killer, had been for a few days, and at least now, even though they were working a holiday weekend, they were closing in on him. Sharon had gotten involved when a patrol office had fired his weapon and been grazed himself in pursuit of their vanishing suspect, and now, she was in the case for the long haul too. So, even though their plans had all gotten distorted, they were spending the holiday together, just now at the station.

Two days later, they were finally putting the case to bed, and everyone was ready for a few days of rest. The team, along with Sharon and several others including Fritz with his FBI connections, as well as different divisions of the LAPD, were all in need of a couple days off. They had worked almost round the clock for over a week to track and find this guy. Sharon and Andy had managed to eat together, only because they'd eaten with the whole team during the case right there in the office. It was driving both crazy; they really wanted to be alone, away from the prying eyes of work.

"How much longer will you be with your paperwork?" Andy asked her as he followed her into the break room for a cup of coffee. Sharon had already started making her tea, and while she wasn't surprised Andy had followed her, he'd startled her again. She smiled after she jumped at the sound of his voice.

"I hope I only have another hour to go, maybe even less. What about you?" she asked, offering a small smile to him.

"I've got less than that, but then we've got to clear the board. I think I'll be out of here in an hour too. Man, what a case," he sighed.

"I've missed you," Sharon gave a small smile. "My division is off for the next three days."

Andy's eyes perked up, "Mine too. Hmm, interesting, Captain."

Sharon was dunking her tea bag and didn't meet Andy's eyes when she said, "Perhaps, you'll have to stop by."

"Perhaps," Andy nodded, pouring his cup. He leaned over her shoulder before he walked away, "Perhaps, I'll just do a wellness check on a particular LADP captain. Can't be too careful. There was a crazy killer on the loose."

"Well, I think that might be a good idea. I'm sure this captain will be around if you do your civic duty, Lieutenant and do your wellness check," she teased.

"Noted, Captain," he winked to her and scurried out of the room to finish his paperwork. Sharon laughed at his playfulness.

Andy made his way back to his desk, noting that Gabriel and Julio were already taking down the board. That just meant his time here was even less than he'd predicted, perfect for him; he'd get out of the office within the hour. He plopped down at his desk, sipping his coffee, intent on getting his report finished.

"Lieutenant," he heard Gabriel call out, and at first, he didn't react, thinking Gabriel was speaking to Provenza.

"Flynn!" he jumped hearing Provenza scowl across the room at him. Andy turned to find out what was pulling him from his report.

"What? I'm almost done here, if you can wait," he stopped his sentence as he turned to Provenza. Gabriel and Julio were standing behind Provenza's desk at the board, clearing it, as they had been. The three men, now though, had eyes on the entrance way.

"Hi Dad!" Nicole waved, moving quickly into the room. "Surprise!"

Andy's eyes grew wide at the sight of his "surprise" to find not one, but both of his daughters making their way to his desk.

"Hi Dad," Emily smiled. "Surprise. I had all that time off, so I decided to fly out here."

Andy stood, speechless, and with his tunnel vision, saw no one else but his two girls. He didn't hear the groan that came from Provenza.

He watched them walk toward him, finally hearing Gabriel over everyone, "Wow, Lieutenant. Where have you been hiding these lovely ladies?"

Andy threw a scowl at him, as the girls reached Andy. He went through the motions of hugging each, still a bit shocked to see them at work.

"Wow, what are you doing here?' he asked.

"Like I said, I decided to fly home, and Nicole helped. She just picked me up at the airport," Emily explained. "I haven't been home in a really long time, and who doesn't like coming to LA? I figured I'd see you some, depending on your case, Mom too, and I could also catch up with Emily."

Andy nodded, "I'm happy to see you, just surprised. Ahh, we are just finishing the case now."

"Yes, that's why we stopped by. I knew you'd been at work for days, and we wanted to see how things were coming along," Nicole explained. "We were hoping to have lunch or dinner with you."

"So, Lieutenant," Julio jumped in, grinning, "aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Ahh, yeah," Andy scratched the back of his head. "These are my daughters, Nicole and Emily. Girls, the team," he nodded to the group, intent on getting the girls out of the Murder Room before too much was said.

"Andy, I thought you had two kids?" Mike asked. "I thought for sure you had a son and a daughter."

Andy just nodded, "Three kids, two girls and a boy." Andy needed to get the girls out of the room; he didn't want inquiring minds to continue with the line of questioning. No one, but Provenza, knew the history he had with Sharon.

"Lieutenant, a word?" Brenda poked her head out of her office, looking to Provenza. She glanced to Andy. "Lieutenant Flynn, who might these ladies be? I thought the case was closed."

"It is, Chief. These are my daughters, Nicole and Emily," he nodded to Brenda. "Girls, this is Chief Johnson."

"Nice to meet both of you," Brenda smiled. "I'm sorry, but Lieutenant, I need to speak with you. We have a couple of questions here," she nodded to him. Provenza leaned in when he passed Andy.

"I'd get them out of here now," he said with a harsh tone. Andy nodded in agreement.

Andy turned his attention back to the girls who were now being asked a few questions by the team. He was trying to get them out of the room, and he'd almost done that when Sharon walked in, heading to Brenda's office with Fritz next to her. Whatever was going on with the case, it appeared to require all the different departments and even the FBI still.

"Mom!" Emily said without thinking when Sharon walked in. Sharon was looking at a file as Fritz spoke to her, so she didn't have eyes on Emily before she heard her voice. Sharon looked up, several different expressions crossing her face. Emily, unaware of the mess she'd just made, had her eyes on Sharon.

"Emily? What are you doing here?" Sharon asked, still shocked to find her daughter in front of her. Andy closed his eyes and shook his head, waiting.

"Mom? Wait, what?" Gabriel, as sharp as he'd been, picked up on it right away. "Lieutenant, I thought-" he was cut off.

"Sir, did we just hear that right? Your daughter and your-" he said, as all eyes turned to Sharon. She met Andy's gaze, a look of panic on both faces. It quickly registered with Andy, Sharon, Emily, and Nicole what had just transpired. It also registered with the team.


	34. Chapter 34

"Mom, I'm so sorry," Emily said, barely above a whisper as she put her hand over her mouth and met Sharon's gaze. She and Nicole were standing next to Andy, the trio facing Sharon and Fritz. Sharon, still shocked, was trying to regain her composure.

"Wait!" Gabriel said, holding up his hands as if to physically stop something. "You," he pointed to Andy, and "you?" he pointed to Sharon.

"Holy Crap!" they heard as the rest of the team fit all the pieces together.

"Captain Raydor, Fritzy, could you come in here, please?" Brenda opened her door, calling out and looking a bit impatient.

"Ahh, Brenda," Fritz cleared his throat, trying to get her attention, "could you give us all a minute," he nodded to Sharon trying to convey to Brenda that there was a situation. Brenda stepped out of her office, closing the door behind her, looking irritated. "I've got all the top brass in there, Fritzy. I really want them out of my Murder Room, so whatever is going on out here, can it wait?"

"Ahh, Chief," Julio said grinning from his seat, "you've met the lieutenant's daughters, there, haven't you?"

"Julio, of course, I did, but this can wait-" she was cut off.

"Excuse, me, what was your name again?" he nodded to Emily. "Your FULL name," he made clear to specify.

Emily looked to Sharon who closed her eyes, and she heard Andy's sigh as he groaned, "Ah, I'm um, Emily Raydor," she nodded. "Nice to finally meet you. I've heard all about you."

"Wait," Brenda looked puzzled, "Raydor?" She looked around, noting the glances and expressions on everyone's faces and then back to Andy, finally going to Sharon and Fritz. "Raydor? As in Captain Raydor? You said he's your dad," she pointed to Andy, "and, now, she's your mom?"

Emily took a deep breath and looked to the ground as she rocked back on her heels. She crossed her arms, "Ahh, yes. That would be correct."

"Oh, my," Brenda said with her accent drawing that out.

Gabriel had started to speak at the same time as Brenda, "Look, she's rocking on her heels just like Flynn! That expression!" he started laughing, the rest of the team starting as well. Emily immediately changed her stance and looked away.

"People, please, though! This must wait. I really need to get them," she pointed to her office, "out of my office. Put this on hold, and finish up business!" Brenda turned to go back into her office, but she turned back around again. Sharon was still glued to her spot, not sure how to proceed. Nicole was ready to hide; she didn't know what to say or do; she felt stuck in the middle of everything. Emily was almost ready to cry, realizing she'd just screwed up both of her parents' work situations, and Andy was shell shocked, his eyes locked on Sharon, but he wasn't really seeing her. He was in a haze. Brenda spoke again, "You two, really?" she looked at Andy and then at Sharon with a puzzled expression and a sigh. "We'll deal with it after this," she said as she opened the door. Sharon felt Fritz guide her arm toward the meeting, and as she walked by Andy, their gaze met, both completely bewildered. He shook his head at her, and she returned the gesture. Sharon glanced to her side, throwing out the first thing she could think of now, "Nicole, Emily," she nodded in greeting, wondering why she'd said that of all things.

"Hi, Sharon," Nicole just nodded at her, as she looked away. Emily could be heard with only a mumble to her mom.

Once Brenda's office door was closed again, the remaining team members pounced on Andy. "Lieutenant, I believe we need some information," Gabriel crossed his arms, looking at Andy.

"Ahh, Gabriel," Mike nodded to him to stand down and give Andy a moment.

"Girls, I think you should go," Andy turned to the girls directing them to the exit. Both girls nodded, intent on getting out of there as quickly as possible.

"Dad, I'm so sorry," Emily said again, as Andy followed them through the room. He wanted to personally get them away from everyone. He held up his hand, as if to stop talking. The truth was every "Dad" and "Mom" comment was making it worse.

"Just go on home for now," he sighed.

"Ahh, your house, Dad?" Nicole asked, digging out her car keys.

He looked upward and groaned, "Take Emily to the condo. We'll talk later," he patted both girls on the back as they continued to walk out, and he turned to face the team. He really would have preferred to walk them to the elevator or leave with them all together, but he couldn't. He wondered how Sharon had gotten so lucky to get dragged away from the firing squad.

Andy took a deep breath before he turned around. As he did, he glanced into the chief's office, noting they were all still standing there talking. He then turned toward the team, hands in his pockets.

"So," Mike said, "that is interesting."

Andy looked up, "I really don't want to talk about my personal life."

"Come on, Lieutenant. You can't leave things like that," Gabriel sighed. "You and Captain Raydor? Never in my wildest imagination," he shook his head.

"Mine either, Sir," Julio looked to Andy shaking his head.

"So, how many kids do you have with the captain?" Buzz asked. "I'm still trying to figure this all out. I had no idea."

Andy gave them all an irritated look as he walked back to his desk, "Just Emily!" he snipped. "She's my youngest, Sharon's oldest," he stopped suddenly, sighing again loudly, as he groaned. "Captain Raydor and I share Emily."

"I think if you share a kid, Sir, you are way beyond using titles and rank," Julio grinned, earning chuckles from the team.

"Wait, does Provenza know this because if he doesn't, he's going to throw a fit when he finds out he missed this," Mike laughed.

"Provenza knows about my family," Andy scoffed at them, as he sat down, rather abruptly in his chair. He turned away from the group to get back to work.

"That's it?" Gabriel asked. "Lieutenant, we get a bombshell dropped on us, you and Captain Raydor-you even calling her Sharon just now-share a daughter, a grown daughter. Wow, that can't be it. You've hated her all these years," he cut off, now thinking. "Huh," he tapped his hand to his mouth. "Now, I see how that all fits."

"Come to think of it, Gabriel, you may be right," Julio tapped his pen on his desk as he began to think too.

"Guys, I'm not getting into my personal life. My family is my family; you met my girls. Leave it at that," Andy barked, as he typed away on his computer. Brenda's door opened, and the team turned their attention to those leaving, hoping to get more out of this discussion than they were currently getting from Andy.

The upper brass left quickly leaving Brenda, Sharon, Fritz, and Provenza still in the office talking. The door was also open. "Lieutenant, would you join us?" they all heard as Brenda summoned Andy to her office. The rest of the team watched as he stood, avoided contact, and closed the door behind him as he entered. Sharon was the only one not to look his direction as he did so.

"Yes, Chief?" he asked, hoping the summons was not what he thought.

"Lieutenant, I'm going to do this right here. Everyone but the lieutenant here were out there with the little moment we had a few minutes ago. I'm still trying to get my head around this all, but please just tell me is there anything that isn't above board right now?"

Sharon answered very quickly for both of them, "No, Chief," she shook her head. "There is no issue here, and there won't be."

Provenza glanced to Sharon and then back to Andy, shaking his head. He sighed.

"Chief, my private life is just that, and I've kept it out of the office," Andy explained.

"As have I, Chief," Sharon nodded.

Brenda had a look of horror on her face, "I almost can't believe this and don't know what to say. Are you two even civil? The screaming matches you've gotten into in the past all make sense now. If you can't be civil," she trailed off.

"Chief, we're good," Andy mumbled.

"Idiots," Provenza mumbled too and then spoke up, "Chief, as Flynn's direct supervisor, I can assure you these two are fine and will not cause a problem in your Murder Room. Any issues they've had in the past," he glanced from one to the other, "have been addressed," he said, glancing to Andy again, who nodded in agreement.

"Captain?" Brenda looked to her.

"Chief, we have no problem. We've gotten along just fine these past few months," she added.

Brenda stopped to think, nodding, "Okay, then. I know there is quite the history there, and as much as it kills me to say this, I won't ask. Can we just let the past stay in the past?"

"Well, ahh, Chief," Andy spoke up, glancing to Sharon, meeting her gaze. She gave a very slight nod to him; they weren't about to lie to Brenda now when she was asking for the cards to be put on the table. "Thing is, it's not just in the past," he started to say. He felt all eyes bore in on him as he started to get nervous. He scratched the back of his head. "Look, I don't want to air my life, our lives here, but it's not just a thing of the past. It's the present," he said quickly, trying to get himself out of the hot seat.

Brenda's eyes shot up, and she looked to Sharon, "Captain?"

Sharon nodded as she bit her lip, "Lieutenant Flynn is correct, a work in progress, if you may," she offered. "It's stayed out of the office, Chief, and it will continue that way."

Slightly shocked, Brenda said, "Okay, well, you aren't in the same division, so I can't ask you to do anything differently. Go on," she nudged everyone. "Fritzy, I am going to need you to take me to lunch for a drink-good thing I'm releasing the team now after this case. A drink here at lunch is in order," she said very directly to Fritz. His eyes met Sharon's, and he offered her a quick wink before he turned to Brenda. He'd been quiet through all this, always liking both Andy and Sharon, and while he'd not figured this out either, he had to say that the pairing was a pleasant surprise to him.

"Get your stuff, Brenda," he smiled to her. "I'd love to take you to lunch."

Since the one exit was somewhat blocked with Fritz in the way, they all moved toward the side. Andy went out first, as he was the closest to the door, followed by Provenza, and then Sharon. The team hadn't made a sound, all eyes on those exiting the office.

"Oh, get back to work," Provenza waved off the group, sighing. "I want to get out of here and not see any of you people for a few days." The team continued to watch as Sharon had to walk by Andy's desk, now intent on any interaction the two had.

"The girls?" Sharon said breathlessly as she walked right by Andy's desk without stopping. He was standing at his desk, shuffling papers, a nervous habit because he didn't know what else to do.

Without looking, he just answered her, "Sent them to your condo to wait."

Sharon, without glancing at him, but staring ahead as she moved through the room nodded to Andy and answered to all, "Have a lovely afternoon, gentlemen," and with that, she walked out. Andy sat back down and started typing away, while the rest of the team just stared on.

"Lieutenant," Julio turned to Provenza, "we've got to setup another team night at the bar. I think we have a lot to discuss."


	35. Chapter 35

A little over an hour later, Sharon finished her paperwork. She collected her things and made her way downstairs, stopping off at Major Crimes; with the day as it had gone, she was going to just go with it. Plus, she also knew from Andy's text a half hour ago, the team had finished and was also heading home for the day.

"Ready to go?" she asked, as she walked in, making eye contact with him. She was tired and could feel her weary body slowing down for the day. Andy stood and put on his suit coat, and only then did Sharon notice Julio, Mike, Buzz, and Gabriel were all still there. They were hovering around Mike's computer, apparently looking at something, but as soon as they heard Sharon's voice, they snapped up. Sharon had a feeling they had waited just to see if a scene like this played out after the eventful revelation. She sighed and looked back toward Andy. The guys just watched from afar.

"Night guys," Andy grumbled as he made his way toward Sharon. "Your car or mine?' he asked, this being the first time they were going to share a ride to or from work. It wasn't going to be something of a normal occurrence, but they'd texted back and forth that they needed to speak to Emily, and they might as well eat while they were at it considering they'd worked themselves to the bone over the last few days.

"I don't care," Sharon shrugged, letting Andy take her briefcase from her. She didn't acknowledge the guys, but she did note they were watching their every move. Andy nodded to them again, as he clutched her briefcase in one hand and walked next to her as they left. The guys just stared on, totally shocked at the developments of the day.

Thirty minutes later, Andy pulled his car into Sharon's parking place. They'd decided to take his car since he had to later drive home. They'd agreed to get Sharon's car later since they had a few days off. Quite frankly, she was too tired from her stream of all-nighters and was glad to have Andy drive. Plus, it gave them a few moments, away from work, to talk before sitting down with Emily.

As much as they wanted to chat, both were tired, so the ride up in the elevator was a quiet one. Andy reached over and grabbed hold of her hand, giving her a wink. Sharon's keys in the door must have alerted Emily because as she entered and Andy followed, Emily popped up from the sofa to meet them and plead her case.

"Mom, I am so, so sorry," Emily started immediately. Sharon hadn't even taken two steps into the condo when the apology started. "Dad! I didn't know you were coming too."

Sharon and Andy both gave Emily an odd look at her statement, but Andy was the one to speak first. "Why wouldn't I come?"

Emily just shook her head, trying to figure out why she was thinking that, "I don't know; I guess I just didn't think about it. When you both said you were working on things, I know know-I guess I didn't realize you were really serious about that. I haven't been here, so I didn't know that you really were spending time together."

"You might want to stop talking right now," Andy started in on her as he and Sharon put their weapons down, took off their badges, and hung up their things. "Yeah, we're serious about this, and we spend a lot of our time together."

Emily's expression changed to surprise, "Oh, well, I can go stay somewhere else."

Sharon threw her an odd glance, "Emily, Andy's not staying here. It's not-"

"Not that you should be asking that at all, but we aren't living together, sleeping together, Emily. We have a lot of progress to continue to make, but we're working on it. Now, can we get inside the house before this continues?"

"Oh, umm, yeah," Emily said, embarrassed she'd ambushed her parents at the front door. She knew they'd worked several days without much sleep, and now that she had a good look at both, she could see they were exhausted. She waited for one of them to speak before saying anything further.

"Emily, I'm very glad to see you," Sharon offered a smile, "and, the surprise is great, but-" she was cut off.

"I know! I completely messed up work for both of you. I know! I wasn't trying to cause a problem. I just reacted when I saw you, both of you. I didn't blurt it out with ill intent; I promise I wasn't doing anything like that," she sighed and rolled her eyes. Sharon stepped toward her, opening her arms to hug her.

"Emily, we both know there was no ill intent," she said, going to give her a hug. "I believe this is the most you've talked to me in almost a couple of years. I'm glad you came." Surprisingly, Emily returned the hug, and Andy stood and watched. When Sharon released her, she gave her hand a tug and an encouraging smile. Emily walked to Andy and gave him a hug, in greeting, as well.

"It was a nice attempt at a surprise, you and Nicole," he sighed. "We've just kept our personal lives out of work, and now, it's all out in the open," Andy explained. "We both have enough problems without people prying around at our business, and your mom has most of the building hating her anyway," Andy explained.

Emily nodded, as she stepped back and looked at the two of them, standing side by side, talking to her.

"I'm really sorry," she shook her head. "I feel awful."

Sharon nodded, "What's done is done. We've technically done nothing wrong at work, so it's not as if we have some sort of backlash there; it's just the divisions now will talk."

"They won't," Andy turned to Sharon. "Promise. The team won't talk. They might know now, but aside from each other, they won't talk about this outside of the division. I can promise you that. It's an unspoken rule; we've all worked together too long."

Sharon nodded, giving him a small smile, and Emily spoke up, "I'm sure you two are hungry. Nicole and I stopped on the way here and picked up some food. It's warming in the oven if you want to eat. I know with the flight an all, even though it's 4:00 here, I'm starving still somewhat on East Coast time."

"I could eat," Sharon looked to Andy, "Andy?"

"Yeah, but before we do," he put his hands on Sharon's shoulders turning her toward her room, "you go shower. Take a nice, hot shower, and Emily and I will get all the food set out. Take as long as you want; if the food is warming, it will be fine while you shower."

Sharon looked up at him, smiling, "Bless you. Thank you," she leaned up and gave him a quick kiss, the interaction a bit of a surprise to Emily. Sharon grazed over Emily's hand as she walked toward her bedroom.

Emily turned back to Andy, "Is your work really going to be okay about all this? I don't want to be more trouble than I've already been and already caused. I just feel terrible."

Andy nodded for Emily to follow him to the kitchen where he started to move around effortlessly as he got dinner ready. Emily jumped in to help, "Yes," Andy said. "It's going to be okay. I want you to know, we want you to know," he corrected himself, "that we aren't ashamed of you. That's not the problem here, and we want to be very clear about that."

"I know," Emily said quietly. "I grew up with Mom, and I know a few things, don't forget," she shrugged. "Mom is very private; she always has been. She doesn't like to mix work and her outside life; she never did. That had to happen sometimes, especially as a single mom, but she tried to keep work at work and our lives at home just that, at home. She's never been particularly close to anyone at work," she eyed Andy, "well, present company excluded, but she didn't have big groups over for cookouts or anything like that. The only time we really heard about work is when she was frustrated with different cases and would complain about things here or there, and that only really started when we were older, and she was in charge."

Andy nodded as he listened, "We both love you, very much, and I'm glad you are here. This thing with your Mom, you two need some time to talk. That's why I sent you here. You are always welcome at my house, but you need to work through this with your mom. It's killing her, and I can't imagine you have enjoyed things much either."

Emily sighed as she took her seat at the table, "I know. I went to a counselor last week."

"You did?" Andy raised his eyebrows in surprise. He was putting together the salad he'd found in the fridge.

"Yeah," Emily shrugged. "I think it helped. A friend of a friend, and we did a lot of talking. I don't think I'll go for a long time, but another couple of sessions or two might help. That was part of my reasoning for coming here. I know we need to work through this. If you and Mom are here like this, not killing each other, I can try too."

"Good," he added. "We've got a couple of days off, which will be nice. The timing works out with you coming to visit. I'm glad you are here," Andy smiled as he sat down at the table, across from Emily.

"I'm hungrier than I thought," they both heard, as they turned to see Sharon walking toward them. "Dinner smells wonderful," she said as she squeezed Andy's shoulders and took her seat at the head of the table with Emily and Andy on each side of her.

"Well, she picked up Italian, and you can't go wrong with Italian," he winked at Sharon.

"No, you certainly can't," Sharon patted Andy's hand and then turned to Emily. "Thank you for getting the food. We had a serial killer case, and even I was involved because an officer was shot and took a shot during the investigation. We haven't eaten a solid meal in what, Andy, two days?"

He nodded, sighing, "Yeah, sounds about right."

The three started eating, drifting into silence for a few moments. Things with Emily were still awkward, but both Sharon and Andy were too tired to really dig into the core of the issues. Sharon hadn't heard the conversation Emily and Andy had while she'd showered; she knew they would have talked, but she really wanted to get a read on Emily from Andy, and she couldn't ask him now with Emily sitting in front of them.

"This is the first time we've all sat down to eat together since everything," Emily paused, as she put her fork down and started to reflect. Andy and Sharon's gaze met each other, and they both turned to Emily.

"Yes, it is," Sharon smiled. "I'm very happy to have you both here."

"Couldn't be happier right now," Andy smiled and winked at Sharon. "So," he changed topics, "Nicole didn't want to stay and face the firing squad?"

Emily rolled her eyes, "She is helping Dean right now. She took today off to pick me up, and she told Dean she could pick up the boys from daycare. I guess they needed some new shoes, and Dean hates shopping. Nicole volunteered to take the boys for him."

"Well, that was nice of her," Sharon offered. "Dean seems like a very nice man. Nicole seems to really care for him."

Emily nodded, "She mentioned you had met him, but like I said, I didn't know you and Dad were spending so much time together. She mentioned it was on Father's Day, and I just thought it was one of those occasions."

Sharon turned to Andy and then back to Emily, "Emily, your dad and I love each other. We want nothing more than to work through everything, so really, when not at work, we spend most of our time together. We are happy."

Andy nodded in agreement, both gauging Emily's reaction, "Okay, I'm just, hmm, I'm just surprised. I almost don't know what to say, one to have two parents who care, and two, for those same two parents to not only get along, but profess they actually love each other."

"Hell of a thing," Andy nodded as he chewed.

"So, Nicole-" Sharon asked again.

"Oh, right, well, she and I were planning to go out tonight, that is unless you two had other plans for us."

"Nope," Andy said quickly. "You two go, have fun. I have a date with your mom on that couch," he hooked his hand over his shoulder. "I want to sit with her, watch whatever strange movie we can find, and not get off that couch for a few hours. We're both worn out. Work has been a killer," he grinned.

Sharon groaned, "Andy, that was a terrible joke."

Emily grimaced, "Dad, that was-well, bad," she shook her head. "Mom, you actually like that corny stuff?"

Sharon shrugged, "He likes to charm."

"Well, when you and Nicole are out, figure out what night you are here she's coming to dinner. I don't care if we eat here or my house, but we can all eat together. She can come multiple nights if she wants; I'm good with whatever, but I don't' want to crowd her schedule," Andy stated.

Emily nodded, "I'll ask her about-" she stopped when her phone rang. "Nicole," she said, looking at her parents. "Hi, Nicole," she began. "Yeah, I'm still alive," which earned chuckles from Sharon and Andy. They stood and started to clear the table while Emily continued her conversation. She eventually stood and walked down to her room while Sharon and Andy finished.

"So," Andy grinned, as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, "your stubborn daughter believes it might be a good idea to mend fences," he said as he kissed her neck.

"That's good," Sharon said.

"That she wants to mend fences or that I'm kissing you," he teased.

Sharon laughed, "Both. I hope we can talk through things while she is here. It really works out we have a few days off work." Sharon turned at the sink so she was now facing Andy. He had a loose grip on her as they talked. "Andy, I want our family to work through this, all of us."

"Me too," he leaned in and kissed her quickly, pulling back, but still looking into her eyes. They were still standing right up at the sink.

"I'm going to meet Nicole," Emily announced as she rounded the corner. "Oh," she almost jumped, seeing her parents that close and talking. Andy took a step back, and both turned to Emily.

"Yes?" Sharon drew out her words.

"Sorry, "Emily shook her head.

"Em, it's fine," Andy shrugged. "Like I said, we're going to crash on the couch as soon as we finish this. Go, have a nice evening with your sister."

"Night," she smiled and waved.

Sharon looked to Andy with a bit of awe, "There was no yelling."

He grinned, "No yelling. We made it through a civilized meal and conversation with our daughter." Andy put the dish towel down and pulled Sharon with him to sit on the couch. "Come on; we can find something to watch."

Sharon started to laugh, "Andy, why do you even bother with the notion you will watch anything?"

He eyed her, "What, you have other ideas, Sharon? My mind didn't go there."

She swatted at him, "I only meant that you will probably be asleep 10 minutes into whatever we watch. You can barely keep your eyes open."

Andy's expression turned to a grin, "You're one to talk, Captain. I believe you usually fall asleep first and then sprawl all over me as you sleep."

"Well, I'll just move to the chair," she started to stand, but he pulled her back down as she squealed.

"Come on," he nudged her, encouraging her to snuggle up to him. "Sprawl all you want. Something tells me we'll both be asleep in minutes," he grumbled.

"Remind me when we have more energy that we need to discuss what happened when I was in with the chief. I'm dying to know," Sharon mumbled.

Andy chuckled, "Oh, it's been quite the day, and now," he groaned, "I think we'll be receiving a summons to an inquisition at one of the local bars soon." Sharon groaned in return.

It was almost midnight when Emily returned and for the first time in her life, found her mom and her dad, curled up, asleep on the couch, like they'd been waiting for her to return home. She covered them with a blanket and smiled at the sight. If they could come through all of this, she could work on her feelings too.


	36. Chapter 36

Emily smelled breakfast cooking and rolled over to find out what time it was. She was shocked to see it was almost 11:00. She knew she'd gotten in late, still a bit jet-lagged, but she couldn't believe she'd slept that long.

"Morning, Sweetheart," Sharon said, as Emily shuffled into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee.

"Morning, or maybe I should almost say good afternoon," she shook her head. "Where's Dad?"

"Oh, he is on his way. He was going to stop and pick up some of those pastries you like," Sharon smiled as she continued to work on breakfast.

"He didn't stay here?" she asked, scrunching up her face. "When I came in, you two were passed out on the couch."

"We woke up shortly after that, and no, he didn't stay. He went home. We told you; we're working on things at our pace. Right now, we both need to keep things simple. Plus, he was going to need a shower and fresh clothing. You know we worked that case and all. I think the lazy day has been good for all of us. He called me about an hour ago, and he'd just gotten up and showered, so he should be here within the next 10 minutes or so," she explained.

Emily nodded, not sure she totally understood, but the difference in her parents' attitude and demeanor over when she'd seen them in January after breaking her arm, well, it was night and day. Obviously, they had put in a lot of time and effort. Back then, they couldn't stand to be in the hospital room with her, let alone have a decent conversation. Since she'd returned just yesterday, they'd spent pretty much all their free time together.

"Emily?" Sharon asked, tilting her head, trying to get a read on her. "Did you hear me? I asked what you and your sister did last night?"

"Oh, sorry," Emily sighed. "I dazed out there for a minute. "We went out for drinks and to have some girl talk. Then, after Dean had put the boys to bed, we stopped over there. I finally got to meet him. I'm going to meet the boys today; she really wants me to meet them too. They are all excited to meet a professional ballerina. She's made me out to be like a pro basketball or football player," she grinned. "Obviously, a household of guys, Dean loves sports, so the boys know all about professional athletes. Well, she's explained it's like that for me with ballet," she started to laugh, "as if I'm a celebrity. Anyway, they can't wait to meet me, and they really don't know what ballet is, so I'm going to show them a few of my moves."

Sharon laughed, as she worked on the food. "That sounds cute. Those boys are adorable. I believe Nicole might have found her guy. What was your read on him?"

"Oh, she's in love with him, no doubt. I think she's in love with the whole family. They are trying to take it slowly too, mainly because of the boys, but I definitely think they'll eventually get married. He's a great guy too," Emily smiled.

"Good," Sharon nodded. "Your dad and I think the same. We've been around them a little now, and we think this is the one. Both of us are glad they are moving slowly and not trying to rush into anything with Dean's wife having passed away. Taking on a family like that is a big job, a good one," she smiled, "but a big one."

"Hello," they heard, as Andy entered the condo. "I come bearing gifts," he handed Emily the box of croissants, and she opened them immediately while Andy walked over and kissed Sharon at the stove. "Morning, Gorgeous," he winked at her. "Smells good."

"Forget that," Emily sat at the table and picked up a croissant. "I'm on vacation, so the diet goes out the window. I'll just have these for breakfast."

The three talked through breakfast, all glad to be a little more rested. As they were finishing, Andy groaned at the text message he received.

"What's wrong?" Sharon asked noting Andy's irritated face. Emily had volunteered to clean up since Sharon had cooked, and Andy had brought her favorite pastries.

"Julio," he grumbled. "Seems our presence is being requested by the team for drinks and a chat," he sighed.

Sharon returned the face he was making, "Well, that doesn't sound good."

"Oh, are they planning to interrogate you guys about me?" Emily chimed in.

"Most definitely," Andy sighed again. "I can only put them off so long. You don't have to go with me; you aren't on the team, so I can get you out of this."

"I'll go," Sharon nodded. "We're our own team; we can go together. Besides, I can probably make the guys uncomfortable enough they won't grill you too badly. When is this interrogation to take place?"

Andy typed away on his phone, finally getting a response, "Well, no surprise that the team doesn't have any plans the next couple of days. I'd rather not be out in the evening. Places are crowded enough then, and I'd just rather spend time at either of our houses or with the girls."

Sharon nodded as she listened to Andy, "What about this afternoon? Emily," she turned, "didn't you say you were going with Nicole to Dean's today?"

"Yeah, after work. She's picking me up on her way over there. Oh, we're picking up pizza to have with Dean. Is that okay?" she asked.

"Fine," Sharon waved and turned back to Andy, "why don't we meet early, maybe around 4:00, and then you and I could go to dinner if the girls are occupied?"

"We'll make that the plan. If the guys don't like it, oh well. I'm not trying to please them." He continued to type on his phone, and less than five minutes later, the plans were set for the afternoon.

The three spent several hours talking at the condo. It felt nice to do something very family-oriented, and Emily was pleasantly surprised to see her Mom and her Dad very happy and very happy with each other.

"We're hoping to come to your show this fall," Andy told her when they got onto the topic of dance.

"Both of you?" Emily raised her eyebrows. It was still odd hearing the "we" of the conversation.

"Yes," Sharon nodded. "Both of us. Let's look at the calendars, and they we can each put in for the time off at work." The three did just that, coming up with a plan to hopefully visit Emily in early October. Soon, it was time for Sharon and Andy to meet the team, as well as for Emily to meet up with Nicole.

"Well, well, well, if it's not our little covert affair," Provenza scoffed at the two as they made their way to the large table where most of the team was already seated.

"Oh, come on, Provenza, are you seriously going to give us a hard time? You already know everything," he waved at the guy and offered Sharon her seat before sitting himself.

"Ah, Flynn," he waved his hand. "I might know the story, but I haven't had the pleasure of sitting down with you and the captain to hash it out properly, especially recently. Captain, I really need to chew you out for making him so miserable."

"Knock it off, Provenza," Andy snarled. "Things between Sharon and myself stay just that way, between the two of us."

"Sir, can you fill us all in? We have no idea what is going on, just that our heads are still spinning from this bombshell," Julio asked.

"So, you two are really together?" Gabriel fingered between Sharon and Andy. "You said you share your grown daughter, which is one thing, but it's more than just that? You're dating? More than that? What's the story?"

Andy glanced at Sharon, and she touched his arm, as to indicate she would be glad to explain, "Yes, we are dating. Yes, we have a grown daughter. Between then and now, well, it's been a complicated, rocky road, but we've come out together," she shrugged.

"That doesn't tell us anything," Julio shook his head. "Sir?" he looked to Provenza.

"Well, the more recent was date, break up for awhile, and dating again," he grumbled.

"Ahh, Mike jumped in, "that's why you two would go rounds sometimes. You'd broken up, like oh, wait, like when you were stabbed, Andy?"

Andy nodded, "Yeah, that wasn't our best moment. We'd drifted apart when I was still drinking, and well, I've still got it," he winked to the table.

Sharon smacked him, "Andy, really?"

"What? 26 years, and you still want me?" he winked to her. She made a face to him turning back to the group.

"We may be back to the broken-up stage again," she explained to the group, and they groaned when he leaned over and kissed her cheek. She tried to act irritated, but she wasn't.

"Oh, Sir, we don't need to see that," Julio nodded. "It's bad enough to be seen sharing drinks with FID, but that, Sir, that's just almost unprofessional."

"Okay, all of this is really hazy, so start by telling us about your daughter, Emily, right?" Gabriel asked.

Andy nodded, "Emily, yes. She's 26, a professional ballerina in New York City. Obviously, she flew out for a surprise visit yesterday, one she cooked up with her sister, her half-sister," he corrected himself.

"Wait, hold on," Julio grinned, "Sir, your daughter is a professional ballerina? One of your kids? I'm sorry, "Ma'am," he turned to Sharon, "I can see it from you, but from him? I just can't believe the lieutenant has a daughter that skilled."

Sharon shrugged, "It's true. She put in a lot of hours, hard work, and dedication. She danced all through college, and she's in New York. She's a beautiful dancer," Sharon admitted.

"Hold up," Buzz jumped in, "I'm pulling up her info for New York. Wow, she is good. Look at that," he passed around his phone to let the guys see all the pictures and information he'd found on Emily. Andy just shook his head, sharing a look with Sharon.

"So, Emily is a dancer in New York. Captain, you have another kid, right?"

She nodded, "Yes, Ricky, my son. We're not discussing him." Andy burst out laughing at how cut and dry she was. Luckily, she still scared the team enough, they all shared a look and dropped the topic of Ricky.

"And, you, Sir," Julio turned back to Andy, "have your other daughter, Nicole, and don't you have a son too?"

Andy nodded, "Yes, Nicole and Nathan are my kids from my ex-wife. We divorced when they were toddlers."

"So, are we going to get more about you two? I just can't believe it yet," Buzz commented.

"No," Sharon smiled sweetly, "we aren't going to give more information. You asked; we answered. You met our daughter; we are together. We would very much appreciate if this stays in Major Crimes. No one else in the department knows, and we'd like to keep it that way. We are breaking no rules."

"Oh, there she goes with the rules!' Provenza grumbled.

Julio turned to Provenza, "Sir, you knew about all this?"

Provenza shrugged, "Yes! I know all about the tales of our very own Young and Restless here! I've been part of the soap opera even when I didn't' want to be. I hadn't met Dancing Queen until now, but I knew all about her. Picked up these two, well, really Flynn, but saw the captain too, at the airport when they came back from New York a few months ago. Prima ballerina broke her arm, and they went running. Now, those were the days," he shook his head. "Remember, that wasn't long after Flynn had been stabbed, so these two weren't on the best of terms. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall while they had to deal with each other in New York," he started to laugh.

"That's enough, Provenza!" Andy exclaimed. "I can get Liz and your own Sharon down here with a couple of quick calls."

"You wouldn't dare!" Provenza snarled at him.

"Watch me!" Andy shouted. "Let's make a deal-if we have a significant other, past or present, with the name Sharon, she's off limits. What about that Provenza?"

The team chuckled at Andy's suggestion, and Sharon shook her head as she closed her eyes. Finally, Provenza answered, "Fine, but if you break up with her again, the deal is off."

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that, Lieutenant. I'm here to stay," Sharon smiled sweetly at him. "Which, that reminds me, that applies to Major Crimes for the foreseeable future too. I've been given some tasking that will have me auditing all of you, so you will just get to enjoy me that much longer," she grinned. The team all groaned, and Andy just sat back with his arm on the back of her chair. She'd told him that already, and he was thrilled at the prospect of seeing her more. He didn't know what her job with auditing Major Crimes would entail, but he didn't think it could be that bad.

* * *

 **Okay, so I feel this one is nearing the end (nearing, so don't freak out yet-it's not finished), BUT I'm stumped on ideas for another story. Many of you know my writing style, so I love ideas that I can still tie into the storyline to make it almost believable. So, if you have any, let me know. Thanks for the reviews and feedback! You guys are great!**


	37. Chapter 37

**Okay, I know it's short, but I needed this to transition into Season 7. It's now late July of Season 7 The Closer, and Delk has just passed away. Also, thank you for the "please don't end the story" comments! It's not over, yet, as I mentioned, but I like to start thinking of new ideas to get them mapped in my head. I have a few, so not to worry! I'll continue to think through them as I work on this story too.**

* * *

"What an unbelievable couple of weeks," Andy sighed, as sank down on Sharon's couch and closed his eyes. Sharon followed, carrying two steaming hot cups of tea.

"I'm about ready to turn in my badge and retire," Sharon stated, as she sank down on the couch. Andy opened one eye, surprised to hear that coming from her.

"I didn't think I would hear that from you dealing with Chief. It's just an audit, right? What's going on? We've barely had a moment to talk in the last couple weeks with Belk's death and funeral, a couple of cases, and not to mention Pope and Taylor battling it out for the LAPD hierarchy.

Sharon sighed as she shook her head. Andy pulled her into his side, and she curled up with her head on his shoulder. "I know everyone thinks I'm the bad guy, but I'm just doing what I've been ordered to do. I can't just walk away until those orders change."

"Yeah," Andy started, "but Delk was the one who ordered you to do the audit," he said, but Sharon sat up and gave him a look, a look he understood, and apparently, no matter what she'd tried to convey, Brenda had not. "Oh crap, it's not just from Delk is it? You can't say anything, but wait a minute," he started pointing a finger, "Pope wants you to continue with this, doesn't he?"

Sharon just hummed and turned around, leaning back against Andy. He let out a loud sigh, one they both understood. He got it; he couldn't say anything, and she couldn't say anything. They really couldn't talk about much of it.

"Sharon, I'm sorry," he offered, rubbing her arm. "I wish I could help and make this easier for you. I'll do anything I can to make it easier for you, okay?"

Sharon just patted his hand, still not saying anything. Andy continued to rub his hand up and down her arm as he thought.

"This is big; I can tell. You don't get worked up about things often, even things with my division. Chief normally doesn't bother you, but I can tell, it's not just Chief. You're worried about something. Provenza said you asked him for the case file from the Newton stuff. It doesn't take a lot to put some of the pieces together, and I'm sorry you are having to deal with this, Sharon. I've been so busy, so wrapped up in the last couple of cases, I didn't even see it. I knew Chief was giving you the run around, sending all of us out to do patrol work-grid searches and all, but really, I thought she was just irritated with you in general. I'm sorry. I wish I could help you more, but I'm stuck."

"I know," Sharon patted his hand, turning slightly to give him a small smile. "Thank you," she leaned up to kiss him. "It means a lot you have my back, or you'd like to have my back if your own hands weren't tied with work."

"Yeah," he sighed, pulling her closer. "There's a lot I wish I could do. I wish I could have stood with you at Delk's funeral. That was a mess. Even though I didn't like the guy, the thought of something like that happening to either of us, well," he shook his head, "life is short, Sharon."

"It is," she sat up and turned to face him. As much as she was enjoying her relaxed stance leaning up against him, she wanted to look him in the eye. "I can't believe he collapsed on the Murder Room floor and died right there! Andy, he collapsed right there in front of all of us."

"I know," he shook his head. "Scary, it really was. I can't even imagine something like that happening, collapsing there on the Murder Room floor. I'm just glad his wife didn't see it; talk about scary to see your loved one collapse right before your eyes. It was bad enough all of us had to see it."

Sharon sighed, as she shook her head, "I don't want to ever imagine or think about that. You mean too much to me," she leaned in and kissed him again. He returned it, and they quickly deepened their kiss.

When they broke apart, they smiled at each other, neither wanting to move far from the other. Sharon turned back around, scooting up so she was tucked into Andy's side again, and they continued to talk. Andy kissed her shoulder once she got situated. "So," he started, "I put in my leave request for October."

"I did too," Sharon smiled. "I took off an extra day at the start of that leave like we discussed."

"Good," he grinned. "I took off two extra days at the end. I figure I'm older than you and will need more recovery time from our cross-country travel."

Sharon swatted at him, "You're two years older than me. That's hardly ancient."

"I didn't call myself ancient; you did, my dear," he joked. "Now, as soon as that is approved, which hopefully will be this week, we can buy the tickets."

"I wish you would re-open our discussion about my paying for part of the tickets," Sharon pleaded. "You don't need to buy my ticket to New York."

"I know I don't. I have to pay a change ticket fee for my ticket, which is almost the cost of another ticket," he rolled his eyes. "I'm buying your ticket, period. My gift to you."

"For what?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Oh," he shrugged, "anything. For being amazing, loving, selfless, but today, let's say it's for doing an amazing job at work even when the entire police force appears they are against you, well, everyone but one stud of a guy," he flashed a grin. Sharon rolled her eyes again as she chuckled.

"Well, thank you, but really, Andy, I can get my ticket. I know it's not cheap," she explained.

"It's not, but I'll find a way to get the extra cash. It won't be an issue. It's not like I spend a lot of my paycheck on much, just treating my favorite lady to whatever she needs," he smiled.

"So, have you spoken to Emily since she returned to New York?" Sharon asked.

He shook his head, "No, just a text here or there. Been too busy, but I'm really glad the two of you have turned a corner."

"I am too," she sighed. "It was really getting to me. I hate arguing, just as I hated arguing with you."

"Well, hopefully, this work assignment won't be too bad. I know it's been stressful. Pope now being in charge isn't going to diminish the stress, unfortunately, but do you think you'll be done with your audit in a few days?"

Sharon gave him a look, "I think this one is going to break someone. Who, I don't know, but it's not going away easily."

"We'll work through it, Sharon. I promise, I will try to keep my cool, even if I want to get just as irritated as the team," he kissed her head.

"Just watch your back, Andy, and keep your thoughts to yourself. I don't say that insinuating you'd say anything out of line, but just take that advice from what I can tell you," she warned.

"I'll watch my back, Sharon, but no one in our division is cause for concern. Promise," he kissed her head again, as the two continued to sit and relax.


	38. Chapter 38

"That's the last time I ever go along with one of your hair-brained ideas, Provenza!" Andy exclaimed as the two men drowned their sorrows at the bar. Provenza had promised to make it up to Andy, to buy him dinner, but somehow, even that hadn't gone as planned. Instead, here they were, two guys in a bar, drinking, well, Provenza was, and Andy was unfortunately along for the ride.

"Flynn, it wasn't all my fault! How was I supposed to know a body would fall on Buzz's car? The tragedy in all this is that Buzz got $10,000, and we got $200 each. That doesn't even begin to cover the stuff we have to replace," Provenza sighed.

"I know!" Andy exclaimed again. "I had plans for that money. As soon as you said we were getting a good chunk of change, well, I started to plan. I was going to buy Sharon's and my plane tickets to New York for the fall. Honestly, I was going to use a chunk of the money for that trip. I wanted to take Sharon, Emily, and Angela all out to a nice meal, almost all my favorite ladies, except for Nicole. That's not cheap anywhere, most of all in New York. Now, I could barely buy that dinner with the $200 bucks we made, not to mention I've got to still buy the plane tickets and replace my suit!"

"Why doesn't the Captain just buy the tickets? Surely, she can afford it. We both know she makes a lot more than we do," Provenza stated, shaking his head. Still, now, all this time later, he couldn't believe that Andy was not only interested in, but involved with Sharon.

"Because!" Andy exclaimed. "It's not about the money. I want to do something nice for Sharon. She raised my kid and without a dime from me. Now, granted, the reasoning behind it isn't my fault, but still, I feel like the least I can do is to now do nice things for her. She paid for every single ballet lesson, every college tuition bill, everything," he threw his hands up. "Did you know that Emily, and Ricky for that matter, learned how to ski as soon as they could walk? That's not cheap either. No, she paid for all of it. A car! I didn't even think about that kind of thing-cars, the private school tuition. My head is spinning thinking of it. I might have been a lousy father to Nicole and Nathan as they were growing up because I was stuck in the bottle for so much of it, but I never missed a payment. I paid what I was told and more. Covered most of college. You know that, and one of these days, I'll pay for Nicole's wedding, whatever it will cost me. I plan to do the same for both girls, but for me, it's about doing the right thing. Taking Sharon to New York, that's just the start," Andy said, exasperated. Provenza just nodded.

"Sorry I asked," Provenza waved his hand.

Andy sighed, "I just love her, Provenza. I really do, and I want to take her on this trip. We get a chance to go see our daughter, our daughter, Provenza! She's a professional ballerina in New York City, and we can go see her together. The time off was approved, so I just want this trip to be the wonderful experience I envision."

"Okay, Flynn! I don't need a Hallmark movie recap here! Can we talk about anything else?" he started to ask, but Andy's phone interrupted everything.

"It's Sharon," he grinned, smiling at Provenza, who threw a scowl his way.

"Hi, Sweetheart. How's the conference?" he asked, turning away from Provenza just slightly so that he could focus on his call and not have to watch Provenza make gagging faces at him.

"Andrew Flynn, what in the world were you thinking?" Sharon said loudly enough that he definitely heard Provenza start to laugh. He turned back toward him to see Provenza smirking at him. Yes, Provenza had heard, and apparently, Sharon, who was at a conference in Denver, had heard about the latest case too.

"Sharon," he sighed.

"Andy, I can't believe I'm gone for four days, and I start getting calls about two rogue lieutenants from Major Crimes who might have kidnapped a federal witness!" she exclaimed. Andy stood up and started to walk away from the bar area, Provenza yelling something after him.

"Hey, it's over and done. We worked it all out," he said. "Besides, are you calling as Sharon or Captain Raydor?"

"At the moment, Captain Raydor," she sighed. "Honestly, Andy. I can't have you causing any problems. I would have to excuse myself from investigating anything involving you, and that would trigger a lot of questions that I don't think either of us want to answer right now."

Andy groaned, "Yeah, you're right," he sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Look, it wasn't supposed to be anything difficult. Provenza got a lead on this gig," he was interrupted.

"Stop right there-anything coming out of your mouth that includes Provenza and I-it's not ever going to turn out well," she stated.

He chuckled, "Yeah, I told him the same thing at the beginning."

"But, you went through with it anyway," she explained. "Just tell me," she softened her tone, "are you okay?"

He nodded, not that she could see him, "Yeah, we're fine. I'm fine. Ruined a suit," he groaned. "I'm out more than I made, well, really out more than what we got from Buzz."

"What does Buzz have to do with it?" she asked.

"Oh, well, he got the reward, and passed a couple hundred of it along to both Provenza and me. My suit cost more than that, though, just for starters," Andy explained.

He could hear Sharon sigh on the other end of the phone before she continued, "Please, please, just behave. You know that I have a sensitive matter with your division already. Quite frankly, this conference has been a nice break in the audit. I'm glad it was already scheduled. I just don't want to come home to an even bigger mess, one that involves my boyfriend, a boyfriend that I can't investigate and don't want to explain why and the grown daughter we share, that we've just happened to not mention at work, would be an issue."

"I know," he nodded. "I know. Look, the case is over. Chief already tore into us, and tomorrow, we'll be back to business as usual. I promise."

"Good," she sighed. "I'm sorry I got upset."

"No, you had every right. You're right. It was a stupid idea, and we got in so deep, we couldn't seem to dig our way out," he agreed.

"I'm just glad I won't have your file on my desk when I return. Where are you? It's loud," she stated.

"Bar with Provenza," he replied. "Surprise, surprise, I know."

Sharon chuckled, "Can I trust you to get home safely if you have Provenza in tow right now?"

"Yeah, I'll call you later when I get home if you want?" he offered.

"I'd love that, and please ask for Sharon when you call, not the captain," she teased.

"Oh, I will. Thanks for the tip," he smiled. "Now, if it's okay with you, I'm going to let Provenza think you tore me apart."

Sharon started to laugh, "Oh, that's more than fine. I need to keep up my Darth reputation. You're welcome to make me as evil as you want."

"Planning on it, Captain," he smiled. "Tell Sharon I love her and can't wait to see her in another two days."

"Love you too, Andy. I'll talk to you later tonight," she said before she hung up.

It was another two weeks later when they got into another somewhat heated conversation on the phone, this time coming from Andy.

"What is all this about the Baylor lawsuit?" he barked into the phone. He'd been sent out for the coffee run, his frustration evident to all, and as much as he wanted to barge into her office, he knew this was safer.

"What?" she asked. "What happened?"

"Baylor! Here we are working, and this creep lawyer comes into the division and starts handing out subpoenas, Sharon! I got a subpoena. This is what you've been dealing with isn't it? Wait, don't answer because I know you really can't," he sighed.

He heard Sharon let out a long sign on her end of the phone, "I've been stuck in meetings in my own division all morning. I hadn't heard about the subpoenas yet. Your whole division got subpoenaed?"

"Almost, everyone but Gabriel! Why didn't that guy get one? Sharon, he's the chief's right-hand man. Of all people, I would have thought he'd have gotten one. I wasn't even in the-" he started to say, but was interrupted.

"Andy," she said sternly. "Stop right there for now. We're treading on thin ice, getting close to discussing something we cannot. I'm going to do my job correctly with this one. Please, please, don't say anything more now. We both need to act in a professional manner."

"Noted," he nodded to himself. "I'm sorry. I'm just all worked up about this. I hate that I can't talk to you about it, and I hate that you've got some crappy job to do with all this. I know you, and I know whatever you are doing, you're looking out for us all, even if the chief doesn't get that yet. That lawyer, Sharon, if you haven't met him, watch out for him. He's a dirt bag."

"What's his name? That is something I can and will need to know," she asked.

"Goldman, Peter Goldman," Andy repeated. "What a slime ball. He acted like he was just some guy serving us, and then he waited until we all had our papers, until some of the guys had made comments about the case, and then he dropped the bomb that he was the attorney of record. I'm just glad I didn't say anything."

"Okay," Sharon replied to him. "Tread carefully, Andy. Do not say anything, to him, to the team, no one unless you are authorized to do so or have a union rep. Now, you all know you aren't supposed to discuss this with each other," she began to explain.

"Yeah, I'm tracking, Sharon. Ugh, what a mess this is. I just hope it blows over soon. We've all gotten this stuff before, but something about this, well, there's something I don't like."

"You and me both, Andy. You and me both," she sighed. "Finish up your case, and then how about if I come over for dinner? You mentioned wanted to make that lasagna."

"Deal," he nodded. "Then, maybe we can call Emily and Ricky together. I know you've been playing phone tag with both kids, so I'll be glad to sit and join you on your calls if you would like."

"See you this evening, Andy, and be careful," she said before hanging up.


	39. Chapter 39

"Sharon?" Andy called out as he unlocked her door and entered the condo. "I'm here." He heard footsteps and turned toward the hallway.

"Don't you look handsome," he heard her say, as she came into sight.

"Me? You look beautiful," he grinned, walking over and giving her a kiss in greeting. "Wow, I love this dress," he smiled again, looking at her simple navy cocktail dress that fit her perfectly. Sharon was one who could make something that simple look so elegant.

"Thank you," she smiled up at him, leaning up to kiss him again. "After the long day I've had, I'm very much looking forward to dinner."

"Your clutch," he pointed to her handbag in her hand.

"What? Hmm?" she asked, looking confused. "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing," he shook his head. "It just that I learned the name for that in our most recent case. I have always called it a small purse, and Mike, being the perfectionist he is, corrected me, making sure I knew it was called a clutch," he rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I see you have your clutch."

She laughed, as she glanced at it, "Yes, I have a clutch, several in fact. I see you are wearing that suit still. Hmm, I love that suit on you," she grinned.

He ran his hands over it, "Yeah, well, I knew it was one of your favorites, and while you were in the Murder Room today interviewing Sanchez and all, I could feel you staring me down. So, I decided to keep it on, just changing the shirt."

"Much appreciated, Lieutenant," she patted the front of the suit, "ready to go?"

"Let's go, Sweetheart," he said as he opened the door for her. The drive to the restaurant wasn't a long one. They were trying to do one date night a week, case dependent. Right now, with the lawsuit and their varying schedules, they found it difficult to spend time together, and both had acknowledged how much they wanted to move forward as a normal couple. That included going on dates and spending free time, as they could make it, together.

"So, did you get the information you needed to finish your case?" Andy asked, noting Sharon had taken his hand in hers and set them both on the center console.

"No," she sighed. "It's getting worse, not better. Andy, as I've said, just watch your back. I don't like where this is headed."

"I know," he squeezed her hand. "I'm glad she took your advice to retain Gavin. That was a good call; he's the best. I'm so glad you recommended him to me all those years ago when I had that lawsuit. Best in the city attorney's office back then. He worked wonders for me, so hopefully, he can do the same for the chief."

"Hmm," Sharon nodded, as she sat in silence. "Oh, did I mention Ricky is coming to visit this weekend? He sent me a text this morning, and I don't think I saw you to tell you?" she asked with a question. She'd been so busy, she couldn't remember if she'd told him or not.

"Really?" he smiled. "No, you hadn't mentioned it, but that's great, Sharon. I know you're missing the kids, and I'm glad he's coming to town.

"Yes," she smoothed her dress with her one hand, while she still held his in her other. "He hasn't been here since the spring. It will be good to see him again.

"Ahh, yes," he grinned, squeezing her hand. "His last visit was when we were on that week of silence the priest suggested," he groaned. "Well, I'm sure Ricky will be glad to know we've made some progress."

"Yes," Sharon shifted in her seat, "which is why I'd like for you to have dinner with us one night, at least. I'm okay if you are around more this weekend, even though I know you are on call, but if you are around, maybe we can all have dinner."

"I'd like that very much. Let's get closer to the weekend and see which day is better," he suggested.

"I'll hold you to that, Lieutenant," she smiled and sat back, enjoying their time together.

Another case prevented them from seeing each other before the weekend arrived and along with that, Ricky. Sharon, after a very busy day, was able to get out of the office in time to meet Ricky's flight. She'd coordinated with Andy, and he was going to pick up dinner on the way to Sharon's condo, where all three planned to spend the evening.

Andy decided to knock instead of using the key he had; with Ricky home, he didn't want to spook the kid by just showing up in the condo.

"Andy," Ricky smiled brightly, opening the door for him to enter. "Good to see you," he extended his hand. Andy returned the greeting, smiling at him too.

"Hey, Ricky, good to see you," he added. "Your mom has been looking forward to your visit all week. I brought dinner. Where is the sharpshooter?"

Ricky got a strange look on his face, "Huh, sharpshooter?" he asked, just as Sharon walked into the foyer area from the back of the condo.

"Andy," she smiled warmly, "I didn't hear you come in."

"There she is, the LAPD's own sniper," he smirked, walking to her and giving her a kiss in greeting. When he pulled back, Sharon gave him an odd look, and both turned toward Ricky who was grinning at witnessing their greeting and kiss.

"Sniper? What? Oh, from earlier?" she asked, waving her hand as to dismiss it.

"Look at her," Andy shook his head. "She's downplaying this all," he turned to Ricky. "So, did your mom tell you about her eventful day?"

Ricky put his hand to his chin, as if in thought, "No, she said she had a busy day. What happened?"

"Before we dive into that, let's get this into the kitchen," she nodded to Andy's hand, and he returned the nod, following her. Ricky followed the couple.

"So, what's this talk about snipers, Mom?" Ricky turned to Sharon and Andy who were working on unpacking the food. Ricky was on the other side of the counter bar area, leaning over to listen.

"I'll tell you," Andy nodded. "So, your mom tracks this possible witness, possible suspect for us all day today. That's part of a longer story, but anyway, as she's tracking her, she sees the lady pick up a dirt bag. Guy was a mob hire to take out one of our DA's. Sharon sees the dirt bag, well, we all did, but she was the one originally in pursuit, sees this dirt bag completely shoot up a coffee shop just where our DA and Fritz, he's the chief's husband and an FBI agent, just where they are inside. So, we all go full sirens and lights, chasing this car down. After some careful maneuvering," he glances to Sharon and rolls his eyes, "they crash their car into another, and as we're trying to arrest them, the guy takes off on foot toward a market. We all have weapons drawn, but he's heading toward people."

Ricky nods, "I'm following, and you can't shoot because too many people, and I'm also guessing because you'd be shooting him in the back?"

"Exactly," Andy nods, smiling. "So, suddenly, we hear what sounds like a pump action shotgun, and all eyes turn to find your mom with this bean bag gun. Now," he held up his hands, "we all hate those things. They have a terrible recoil, and they are just annoying. The guy turns, and he says, 'What are you going to do, lady? Shoot me?' and Sharon does! She shoots the guy with the beanbag gun. The best part-she hit him dead on, right between the eyes! It was amazing, the best shot I've seen anyone take, maybe ever."

Sharon rolled her eyes, while Ricky turned to her, mouth open, completely stunned. "Way to go, Mom! Wow, I knew you were a good shot, but man, that sounds impressive."

"I was just doing my job," she waved it off, turning red when she felt both men staring at her. "Fine," she grinned. "I was very proud of myself for doing that in front of the whole team. They always have seen me as just an IA nuisance, and I was able to show them I'm a good cop, a good detective worthy of my captain badge, and a good shot."

"It was hot," Andy nodded, winking at Sharon, as he leaned over to kiss her. Ricky just groaned, as he shook his head and moved to the table to sit for dinner.

"Well, I do admit I seemed to have earned a bit of respect from your division. They were all just staring at me when I brought the chief that paperwork this afternoon," she added.

Andy followed her to the table, carrying the rest of the dinner items. He'd stopped at their favorite Chinese restaurant. Sharon mentioned Ricky loved Chinese, so he'd gone there tonight. "Oh, they were impressed, no doubt about that, as was I," he grinned, as he reached into his suit coat pocket. "Ta-da!" he exclaimed.

Sharon made a face as she looked to him, "Is that the beanbag?"

Ricky chuckled, "It really is a beanbag? I thought that was just some name for the gun or something," he shook his head. "Can I see that?" he indicated to Andy. Andy handed it over, and Ricky inspected it. "Impressive, Mom. Andy, a little worried about your stalker status."

"What?" Andy shrugged, as he sat down, across from Ricky. Sharon sat between the guys, "I had to get that beanbag. It's not often we are in the field together, very unusual for Sharon, and then to see her do that," he shook his head as he grinned. "Hot. Yup. I had to get that beanbag. When your girlfriend takes down a dirt bag who just tried to kill two of your friends and colleagues, yup," he nodded. "This beanbag is going back in my desk drawer at work where I can keep an eye on it. It will remind me of that day, and anytime I need a pick me up or wish I could hang out with your mom at work, I'll just check out the beanbag."

The three just continued to chuckle, and then Andy changed the topic. "So, Ricky, Angela tells me you had a good visit to New York back at the end of June."

Ricky grinned as he nodded, "Yeah, I did. Came home with a new favorite aunt. Insisted I call her Aunt Angela just like Em, telling me she decides who is her family. Your sister is a lot of fun, Andy."

Sharon laughed as Ricky described her, "She is a ball of energy, that's for sure. I think it's good she's there to keep an eye on Emily."

"Oh, she does more than keep an eye on her. They are almost like BFFs now," Ricky grinned. "Aunt Angela goes to Em's shows all the time now, almost like a groupie. I think they have lunch at least once a week, and they go shopping a lot," he rolled his eyes.

"Well, if there's one thing Ang likes to do, it's shop, and knowing your mom, I'd say Emily doesn't protest. Your mom here is one to shop as well," Andy pointed.

Ricky nodded, "Oh, I know too well. She used to drag me along. Imagine it-shopping with Mom AND Emily together. Andy, it's torture."

"I guess I'll see firsthand in October when we visit New York. I should get a medal-shopping with Sharon, Emily, and Angela. The city may never be the same," he sighed.

Dinner passed in comfortable fashion. Ricky really liked Andy and was glad to see he and Sharon were doing so well. As they were finishing dessert and coffee, Andy stood. "I'll help you clean," he indicated to Sharon, "but, then I'm going to get to my meeting. I missed it last night with work running so late."

"Right," Sharon stood and started to clear.

"I'll get this," Ricky stilled her hand. "Andy, go ahead. I've got it."

Andy nodded to Ricky with a promise to see him more over the weekend. Sharon walked him to the door. "Thank you for dinner," she smiled. "And, thank you for just this, a normal evening with one of the kids."

He shrugged, "I love this. I love doing normal things with you," he smiled as he pulled her in closer. He kissed her sweetly, smiling at her when he pulled back. "Plans tomorrow?"

She ran her hands up his shirt, "Hmm, nothing in particular. Just spending the weekend with Ricky," she nodded.

"I'll call you later when I get home, and maybe we can figure out the weekend, then?"

"Sounds like a plan," she nodded. "Night, Andy. Be safe. I love you," she said.

"Love you too, Sharon," he smiled and kissed her again before leaving. Sharon walked back to the kitchen to help Ricky.

"Andy coming back later?" he asked. Sharon gave him an odd look.

"No, why?" she asked.

He shrugged, "I guess I just thought he was staying here some."

"No," she shook her head. "We're taking things day by day. Andy and I want to be in this for the long haul, Ricky, and we don't want to jump in too quickly."

"Yeah, because a 26-year-old daughter is jumping in too quickly," he smirked.

"Ricky," she sighed. "It's not that easy. Andy and I have a lot to juggle, personal lives, work, all of that. We love each other, yes, and neither is planning to back out of this. However, our relationship will be on our terms, and that," she smiled, "is not open for discussion."


	40. Chapter 40

"What were we thinking when we booked the red-eye?" Andy asked as they made their way down the aisle of the airplane. Sharon was glancing at their tickets as she focused on finding their seats.

"Hmm, well, we were thinking of the price, for one. This flight was over $100 cheaper per person for the red-eye. For another, it's not that bad. Angela is going to pick us up before she even heads to work, we can get some rest for a few hours, meet up with Emily for a late lunch before she goes to work, and really, it forces us to get over our jet-lag faster. It's a long day since we'll be going to the ballet tonight, but I'm not complaining," she turned and smiled back at him. This is us," she nodded to the seats.

Andy nodded as Sharon went on about the flight rationale, knowing she was right. Besides, it was too late to argue about it now, both in the time of day and the fact they had found their seats on their flight. It was now October, the first week of October, and they were finally off on their vacation, their trip to visit their daughter. Their last trip, almost a year ago, had been so strained and so sad. This trip held a lot of hope and promise; Andy was excited the day was finally here. Sharon was too, but she especially had been weighed down at work with the current caseload. This trip was coming at a good time; they hadn't seen each other much due to work, and both were delighted to have a week off.

"You go ahead and take the window. I'll deal with whatever weird person I'm sure will sit next to us," he rolled his eyes as he smiled at her. He put their bags in the overhead bin as Sharon got seated. He plopped down next to her, smiling. "I'm so excited we are going to New York together."

She squeezed his hand, leaving it in hers, "Me too. Although," she nodded, "I do hope this seat in coach isn't a disappointment after our last trip when you snagged the first-class seat," she said very deliberately.

Andy just gave a bashful shrug, "Well, for one, we both might have been removed by an air marshal if we'd known we were both on the flight. If you recall, we weren't on the best of terms. Second, I can't do anything about this," he waved over his body, winking at Sharon. "I can't help if I'm a magnet, a lady magnet."

Sharon gave him a disgusted look; the two were just teasing each other, but she couldn't have him thinking vain comments like that were things she wanted to hear.

"Maybe I need to ring the call button and see about first class," she sat up, looking around. "Wonder if there is a guy flight attendant I can charm." Andy let out a loud laugh, one he quickly regretted when Sharon elbowed him.

"Hmm, we'll see if I share the peanuts I brought," he winked at her, leaning his head back on the seat to get comfortable.

"Forget the peanuts," she said, glancing over and noting he had his eyes closed. Andy was tired; she knew that. Since the chief's initial lawsuit had been dismissed and Goldman had refiled in federal court, Major Crimes hadn't caught a break, which meant neither she nor Andy had either. Both were so grateful they had put in for this leave months ago because it was well deserved and needed. Sharon finished her thought, trying to elicit a reaction from Andy. "I brought a blanket, and I was planning to share. Now, I guess I can just curl up in it."

Andy's eyes flew open at the mention of a blanket, and he saw Sharon digging in her rather large bag she had under the seat. He saw her pull out their favorite couch blanket. Whenever he was at the condo, Sharon loved to curl up with this blanket, meaning Andy used it a lot too. "I'd happily give up any seat in first class to sit with you-everyday," he flashed a grin.

"That's better," Sharon smirked at him, spreading the blanket out between the two of them. The got comfortable, Andy wrapping his arm around Sharon, as she put her head on his shoulder. They were both exhausted and probably should have taken bets on staying awake for takeoff.

"Howdy neighbor," they both heard, Sharon and Andy each cracking an eye open to glance at each other. They looked over to find their seatmate getting settled. "Looks like we are going to be in closed quarters together for the next five hours or so," the older woman grinned. "Glad I brought dinner and a chatty attitude."

"Yeah, hi," Andy raised a hand in greeting, "we're hoping to get some sleep. Long day at work."

"Oh, I completely understand! So, what do you do?" she said, opening her dinner to start eating. Andy gave Sharon a look and groaned. The woman wasn't taking the hint.

"Law enforcement," Andy gave a quick nod.

"Like on that show, 'Cops' because I love that show!" she exclaimed. "Oh, by the way, name is Beverly," she stuck out her hand. "Sorry," she pulled it back, "got something sticky on it. Might be from this Chinese food. So, like a cop?" she repeated.

Andy shook his head slightly at Sharon; he heard her cover her mouth to keep from breaking out in a giggle, "LAPD Lieutenant. Detective in one of the homicide type divisions."

"Wow! That's big time. You'll have to tell me all about it on the flight; I"m one for a good murder mystery," she smiled and nodded, as she slurped up a noodle. The noise from her slurping caused Sharon to open her eyes again and turn toward Beverly to figure out what was going on.

Now that he'd answered Beverly's questions, Andy turned his head toward Sharon and closed his eyes again, hoping to give Beverly the hint he wasn't interested in talking.

"So, first time to the Big Apple, or is it a connection for you? My first trip, and I'm so excited! I booked it with this tour group, so when I get there, I have to meet up with them. What about you?" she inquired.

Sharon patted Andy's hand as he gave a loud huff. She wasn't about to say anything and get Beverly going on any other topics.

"No, not the first trip, but sort of a vacation. Our daughter lives there," he admitted.

"Ohh, that's lovely!" she exclaimed. Is she one of those starving artist types? I hear of so many young people these days who want to give New York a try, only to wind up not doing anything. Or, does she do something big time like work on Wall Street?"

Andy groaned into Sharon's ear, and she chuckled quietly while he answered, "No," he gave her a flat smile. "She's a professional ballerina. Dances for the large ballet company there, and we are going to see her. We'll go to her show a couple times too."

"You're kidding! Oh my! Is this the ballet? I'm going to the ballet myself with the tour group." Beverly dug around in her bag, pulling out a big packet of information. Within a couple of minutes, she located it. "Here," she pointed.

Andy took a quick glance, "Yeah, that's her," he pointed to Emily in the background. It was an older brochure, and she'd moved up. Even though she wasn't the lead yet, she only thought it was a matter of time, almost like putting in her dues.

"Oh, well pinch me! Imagine my luck. Here I sit next to my very own police officer, just like on tv, and the daughter is in the ballet I'm seeing. Amazing!" she exclaimed. The pilot announced they were taking off, and that silenced Beverly for a few minutes. Sharon held Andy's hand on their blanket, rubbing her hand on his knuckle. It worked to help calm him; she could tell he was irritated by their seatmate and just wanted to close his eyes to sleep.

Once they were in the air, Andy was almost asleep when he heard Beverly slurping noodles again. "So," he heard her start, "what do you do?" Andy opened one eye and found Beverly leaning forward looking at Sharon. "Were you a dancer like your daughter?'

Andy nudged Sharon, who gave him an irritated look. She was hoping to play off that she was asleep and had plans to avoid Beverly.

"No," she threw her a fake smile, one Andy knew was reserved for when she was extremely irritated. "Law enforcement too. I'm an LAPD police captain in charge of Internal Affairs." She heard Andy chuckle, knowing that he was thinking this would get Beverly going again.

"Two police officers! Wow, this day just gets better and better. A captain to boot. Wow. You know, you don't see many captains on my show. That's impressive, and in charge of Internal Affairs-isn't that like the police watching the police?"

"Something like that," Sharon gave a curt nod, "we make sure rules are followed and police are treated fairly." In their short time with Beverly, Sharon had figured out what information to release. She didn't want a long conversation involving Internal Affairs and hoped what she'd said would keep Beverly at bay.

"Well, that sounds like an exciting life," Beverly slurped her noodles again. "Hey, either of you want some of this? I'll share."

Andy raised his hand, "No, thanks. We're fine."

"So, going to visit your daughter, the ballerina," Beverly recounted. "How long have you been married?"

Sharon gave Andy a very slight shake of the head, and before he could release too much information, Sharon jumped in, "Our daughter is 26; it's been quite the life," leaving the actual question unanswered because neither wanted to discuss that topic or lack thereof.

"Fantastic! My Ted died about 10 years ago, and he was my world. My kids told me to take a trip like this, and I finally am. I've got two kids. Besides your daughter, do you have any other kids?"

Sharon eyed Andy and answered again, "Four in total," she said with another fake smile. "Two girls and two boys."

"The perfect family!" Beverly smiled. Sharon just hummed, giving her a small nod.

"Now," she turned back to Andy because he'd been quite for awhile, "what night are you going to the ballet? Maybe I'll see you."

Andy heard a small snort laugh come from Sharon, and from the corner of his eye, he could tell she was looking out the window, at nothing, he knew, because it was dark, but there was no mistaking her laugh. "We're not sure yet," he said. "Emily will get us tickets for whatever nights she can. We're just happy to see her."

Beverly nodded as she continued to eat. She slurped another noodle before she closed her box. "Well, nature calls, so I'm off to find the bathroom," she chuckled, "although, it shouldn't be hard to find. We can talk when I get back."

Sharon burst out laughing when Beverly had cleared their area. "It's not funny, Sharon," Andy complained. "All I would like to do is get some sleep."

"I'm sorry, Andy," she laughed again. "She's a very nice woman, probably a bit lonely, but she's determined to talk the whole way. And, by the way, that smell from the food, oh my."

Andy closed his eyes, clasping Sharon's hand tighter, "Note to self," he said with his eyes closed. He could tell Sharon had curled up to his side so they could both get some sleep. "If Emily suggests Chinese food on this trip, the immediate answer is absolutely not. I can't take that smell right now, whatever she is eating."

The two were quite for a few moments before Sharon said quietly, "Andy, we very well might see her at the ballet." She heard Andy groan, and she squeezed his hand.

"Well, we aren't inviting her out for dinner with us afterward," he grumbled back a few moments later, making sure she wasn't on her way back to their seats. "I certainly hope this isn't going to set the tone for the trip. I have two goals-one is to get some rest, and the other is to spend as much time with my beautiful ladies as I can. While ladies might sound vague, it does not include Beverly."


	41. Chapter 41

**Thanks for the kind words! I appreciate it. Several have commented they believe something was going on during The Closer and asked what I thought. I know James has said he didn't think about it until Major Crimes, but I wonder if they had maybe written all the looks, the two near each other so much as to possibly go a different direction had the show not come to an end? They started with the two in Season 5 and of course had to write through Season 7 before they ever got to Major Crimes. They needed to soften Sharon as she transitioned from someone people disliked (although I always LOVED her in The Closer) to someone people loved. Had The Closer stayed on, I wonder if they would have hinted at the two being involved, even in the past. In my opinion, they needed to make her character dedicated to her work, her family, even when her family had abandoned her. I guess what I think is that the door was open to go somewhere, even hinting she and Andy had something going on, but they spun off with Major Crimes, making her the good wife, so to speak, and in time, with the chemistry they have, were able to bring Sharon and Andy together in a healthy way...just something I've thought of since people asked lately. I love the coordinating clothing even back in some of The Closer episodes, and I'm enjoying it too as I rewatch Season 1. How could you not want these two together? :) Enjoy!**

* * *

"Angela should be here in about five minutes," Andy relayed the message to Sharon as they stood on the sidewalk outside of the airport terminal. It was early, 5:30, but for a city that never sleeps, it was business as usual, the bustling airport was awake and starting another day.

"It feels good to stand for a few minutes," Sharon replied, smiling at him. "It's also nice to get some fresh air, and you know, if we are calling this East Coast smog fresh air, you know it was bad on the plane."

"That stuff smelled up the plane the entire flight!" Andy exclaimed, shaking his head. "I'm not sure I'll ever eat Chinese again. And, the slurping sound," he shuddered. "Why! Why eat like that?"

Sharon patted his arm, giving him a reassuring smile, "At least we did fall asleep while she was up walking around and locating the bathroom. We managed to avoid her for a few hours."

"Yeah, only to have her talk our ears off as we were landing. Man, she was a nice lady and all, but she didn't take a hint well. I know she was traveling alone," he sighed, "but that doesn't mean we are her new-found friends."

Sharon wrapped her arm around Andy's grinning at him, "I'm going to laugh if we run into her at the ballet. In this city of millions, you do realize that will happen, right?"

He scoffed at her, looking at the approaching cars. He didn't spot Angela in that pack and looked back at Sharon. "Well, the flight is over, so it's time to kick off this vacation," he grinned and winked at her. She leaned into his side more. "There she is," Andy nudged her, nodding to Angela's approaching vehicle. He gave her a quick wave as she pulled up.

"Sharon!" Angela squealed as she got out and ran around the car to hug her. Andy had pulled both his bag and Sharon's to the back of her SUV to begin loading them. "It's so good to see you," she pulled Sharon into a tight hug. Sharon smiled at her and reciprocated the hug.

"It's very nice to see you again, too," she smiled at her.

"What? I'm your brother, and I don't get a greeting?" Andy grinned as he moved up to stand next to the two ladies. "Hi Ang," he pulled her in for a hug. "Thanks for getting up at this terrible hour to retrieve us."

"Yes," Sharon said, as she patted Andy's chest, "or this guy here might have been snagged up by our seatmate, Beverly. I do believe she wanted Andy all to herself," she gave him a playful smile. Andy rolled his eyes.

"This sounds like a story," Angela smile. "Hop in," she pointed, and Andy held the front seat door open for Sharon to get in. He got in behind her so he was diagonal from Angela in the driver seat.

Forty minutes later, they pulled up to Angela's place. While early, they had all enjoyed catching up. Angela told them about her time with Emily; the two were seeing each other at least once a week. "Now, once you get settled, I made a breakfast casserole. I have time to eat with you both before heading into work myself," Angela smiled as Andy unloaded the bags from the car. They followed Angela up the stairs.

"Now, I put you two upstairs. Andy, if you remember, when I remodeled the house last year, I moved my bedroom downstairs. Those steps are getting to be torture on my knees," she turned and smiled at them as she unlocked the front door. "No need for a library when it's just me," she shrugged. Andy had told Sharon all about Angela's husband who had passed away almost 10 years ago now. The two hadn't been able to ever have their own children, one of the reasons she loved her nieces and nephews dearly. "I set you two up in the two bedrooms upstairs," she turned again, with a question to her statement. Andy just nodded.

"Thanks, Ang. I'm sure it's perfect," he added.

Sharon just listened to the siblings, following behind with their carry-on bags.

"Now," Angela turned to them after they'd gotten in the house. "I'm going to check on that casserole. I put it in the oven when I left the house. It should be ready in 10 minutes or so. I'm going to change into my suit for work too. No sense in wearing that on an airport run. I'll let you two get settled, and then we can eat before I leave. I'm sure you are both ready for a nap," she smiled.

Sharon returned the smile, "Thank you, Angela. I can smell breakfast, and I didn't realize just how hungry I am. I'm going to freshen up, and then I'll be down."

Andy nodded in agreement, following Sharon upstairs to deposit their bags.

"I've never been in the upstairs," Sharon smiled to Andy as he put the bags in the rooms. "It's cozy."

He nodded, as he pulled her into his embrace, loosely draping his arms around her waist, "It is. I always like staying here. It's nice and quiet. First time I've ever brought a girl here," he winked.

Sharon laughed, rubbing her hands up his arms, "Really? What about Nicole? She's a girl."

"Well," Andy rolled his eyes and his head, "she doesn't count. I'm talking about someone I'm in love with," he kissed her quickly.

"Okay," she smiled. "I guess your technicality is accepted. Let's eat with your sister before she's late for work. Then, I want nothing more than to get a nap. My back hurts from the plane, and I'm still exhausted."

"Here, here," he smiled, pulling her along with him as they went to find Angela.

"Wow, thank you for breakfast," Sharon said, sitting back and putting her napkin on her plate. "I wasn't expecting that, and it was delicious."

"Ahh, it wasn't a problem. Couldn't have you two fly all night and not feed you. Now, Emily, she tries to live on take out," Angela rolled her eyes. "I'm trying to fix that. Every time I see her, I stuff food at her."

"I have no idea where she gets the constant takeout idea," Andy winked to Angela looking to Sharon. Sharon just started to chuckle.

"Well, I'm not great at cooking, as you know. The few things I can cook, she learned too. Baking is a different story, but I've been trying to cook more and more, as you're aware too," Sharon grinned at Andy. "So, Angela," she turned her attention, "busy day at work?"

"No," Angela waved, "accounts manager-nothing exciting, and I should have a pretty normal day today. I'm really looking forward to having you both here, so I hope to not be too late."

"Are you going to the ballet with us tonight?" Sharon asked. "I know Emily mentioned tickets for tonight, but she didn't know the other nights she could get them," Sharon inquired.

"No," Angela shook her head. "I see her all the time. You two need to go and spend time with your daughter. We'll all spend time together, but go and enjoy the ballet alone."

"Or, possibly with Beverly," Sharon winked at Andy as she chuckled. He groaned at her, shaking his head.

"I will die laughing if she does show up," Angela said. "That would be comical, and from your description of the flight, she seems to like Andy."

"Oh, she does," Sharon continued to laugh. "I almost should be jealous."

Andy rolled his eyes as he sighed, "Well, she did invite me to join her tour group. I just might."

"Okay, you two. I'm going to leave you with your banter. I need to get to work," Angela stood.

"We will clean up," Sharon stood, putting her hand on Angela's. "Go, we'll be fine. We're going to get some rest, freshen up, and then we'll meet Emily around 2:30 for lunch before she goes to work."

"Thank you," Angela said, giving the two a good-bye before she left for the day. Andy cleared more of the table, walking over to where Sharon was at the sink.

"Go," he nudged her away. "Go take a nice, hot shower. I know you are dreaming of doing that," he smiled. "I'll finish here and be up in a minute."

"You sure?" she asked, looking tired.

"I'm not going to have you stand in my sister's kitchen right now cleaning it up when you could be getting your shower. Yes, I'm sure," he waved her on.

Sharon took her time, enjoying the relaxing shower. It had been over 24 hours since she'd last had a shower, and she wasn't one who liked missing a shower. Once she finished, she smiled at the sight of Andy lounging on one of the beds, reading glasses on, reading his book. "I'm surprised that book hasn't put you to sleep," she teased, walking in and stretching out herself. "Oh, my back thanks me," she mumbled, closing her eyes.

"I was just waiting for you to finish," he closed his book and took off his glasses, smiling over at her. "Good shower?"

Sharon hummed, "Delightful. Now, a nap, and I'll feel like a new person."

"Knowing you like I do," he shifted, "you'll be cold in no time, so either you have to move, or I guess I need to find a blanket."

"Blanket I brought is in my bag in the other room," she explained in her sleepy voice. Andy chuckled and went in search of it, sinking back down on the bed and putting it over both of them.

"How's that?" he asked.

"Heavenly," she smiled. "You're too good to me," she cracked open an eye, as Andy got settled too. Sharon scooted closer to him, and he draped his arm around her before sighing himself.

"Yeah, this is much better than the plane," he mumbled into her hair, causing her to chuckle.

"Don't make me laugh and wake me up. I'm almost asleep," Sharon mumbled herself, "or I will send you into the other bedroom."

"You wouldn't dare," he mumbled again into her hair.

"Hmm, I wouldn't challenge me, Lieutenant," she kissed his cheek. "However, you are right that I've gotten a bit attached to you."

Sharon had gotten very attached to Andy again, as she knew she would, and he was equally attached to her. Things had progressed after a recent case when their suspect, Kyle, shot himself in the interrogation room. Brenda had almost been killed, something the entire division recognized. Kyle had been armed, although everyone thought he'd been searched properly, and he was ready to kill Brenda until Buzz yanked her away. It had been a close call, too close, and everyone knew it. Provenza started going on and on about new procedures for searching suspects, and no one thought he was wrong about that. Sharon had seen just how shaken Brenda was. It had been a reminder that in this job, especially, life could end in a matter of seconds. It was short, and it was not to be taken for granted.

After they had wrapped the case, well both cases in a way, because Sharon's division had gotten involved with Kyle shooting himself, she and Andy found themselves extremely quiet at dinner.

 _"Your food okay?" he asked her, looking over as she pushed it around on her plate. They'd come to a favorite quiet spot near the beach._

 _She sighed, looking up at him, her eyes meeting his, "Yes, it's fine. I'm just," she shook her head. "I'm just thinking over the case. I can't believe it, Andy. She nearly died. I could have been in there, in your Murder Room, investigating her death. She could have been blown away, left to die there on the floor, the same floor we all pace day after day. It's just unbelievable. As much as she didn't want to appear rattled, she was. I saw her right after it happened. Buzz was too; both should have been. It was too close," she nodded._

 _"I know," he put his hand over hers. "Even though I wasn't in the building then, when we got the call," he sighed. "I imagined it being you. You could have easily had that happen. You go in and interrogate suspects all the time too. I don't even want to think about it."_

 _She nodded, looking down, "It could have been either of us. This job," she sighed. "it's sometimes too much."_

 _He looked around, "Let's get out of here," as he stood and threw some bills on the table. "Come on; I'm taking you home."_

 _"We both drove," she started to protest._

 _"Fine," he gave her that. "I'm following you back to the condo, and I'm not leaving."_

 _She looked to him, giving a soft smile, "Good. I don't want you to go."_

And, he hadn't left, not that night, and he'd been there many nights, most nights since. They had kept things quiet; it wasn't anyone else's business. Even with their shared family, this was theirs, and theirs alone, not something up for discussion, as they'd told their kids repeatedly. Eventually, their kids would know, but it wasn't something they were going to discuss during a Sunday chat. Neither wanted a big production; they'd always wanted their relationship to evolve again, and it had. They were at the point where neither wanted to let the other go; they loved each other. The kids were not getting a minute by minute, play by play so to speak of the relationship. Eventually, when one was home, they might see it, but for now, they were enjoying keeping everyone out of their business. That had included Angela too. They both had suspected Emily would have told Angela that they weren't sleeping together, and both correctly suspected she would get both rooms setup for them and wouldn't ask questions. She'd done all that, and they were going to just let it be. They'd even decided they could sleep one night in one room, and one night in the other, knowing Angela wouldn't be upstairs with her room downstairs.

The two slept well because the next thing either of them realized was a noise from downstairs.

"Mom? Dad?" they both heard as they bolted upright in bed.

"Go," Sharon nudged Andy, still a bit sleepy herself. "You're more presentable," she hissed as she noted, looking down at just her t-shirt and underwear. She'd thrown that on after her shower and now realized it was later than they wanted to sleep. She still would need to get ready, and Andy still would need a shower. He was in his slacks and undershirt, moving quickly off the bed and into the hall. He pulled the door closed, as he did to the door to the other bedroom.

"Sweetheart, hi," he said, meeting Emily halfway down the stairs. "I'm so sorry. I think I slept longer than I wanted," he explained, kissing Emily on the cheek.

"Hi Dad," she gave him a hug and then looked upstairs, "Where's Mom? I can tell you've been sleeping," she chuckled. "Your hair is a mess."

"Oh," Andy scratched his head, trying to smooth it down, "I guess your mom is still sleeping. I was just about to get a shower. I'm going to get my stuff and do that. I'll check on your mom." He walked back upstairs and creaked open the door. "Sharon," he called out softly, knowing she was awake, but going for the full effect. "Sharon, Emily is here." He turned back to Emily. "She got a shower before her nap, so I'm going to hop in now. I'm sure she'll be up in a minute," he smiled to Emily. "It's good to see you, kiddo." Emily grinned, shaking her head, and Andy went back upstairs, to the other bedroom, the bedroom where he'd put all their bags. At least that worked in his favor. He got his stuff and made his way to the bathroom, still noting Emily was on the stairs. "Here, I'll try again," he said, opening Sharon's door. "Sharon," he said, and this time she called up to Emily, unaware she'd been waiting on the stairs the whole time.

"Hi, Sweetheart," she called. "I'll be down in a few minutes. I'm going to put myself together."

Emily smiled at Andy and called out to both, "Okay, but you two, don't take too long. Your ballerina has to get to work this afternoon, and even though you lazy bums want to sleep the day away, we've got things to do."


	42. Chapter 42

"I'm so excited you are here in New York," Emily looped her arms through both Sharon and Andy's arms, guiding them down the street with her. It had taken them another half hour to get ready, still not too late for lunch.

"We are too, Emily," Sharon smiled. "We've both been looking forward to this visit, not only to see you, but to really get a break from work."

"Work has been brutal," Andy groaned, "although, nice to see your mom more during the day right now. She's sort of been attached to our division lately."

"Lately?" Sharon gave him an eye roll. "It's been increasing over the last two years, but yes, I've been spending most of my time in Major Crimes."

"Oh, Dad, are you getting into more and more trouble," Emily teased.

"I've been a Boy Scout," he grinned.

Sharon laughed, using her free hand to cover her mouth and then turned to Emily, "So, tell us about work."

"Work's been good. I've enjoyed my part this season. We started rehearsals for our Christmas show, so right now, I'm pretty worn out with that and then the show at night. I've got to be there by 4:30 to get in an hour of practice for the Christmas production. It will get better next week when this show ends, but it's always a bit crazy when we overlap for a couple weeks. I got you tickets for tonight, tomorrow, and then you are free for a night, with one final night after that. Are you sure you want to come see the same show that often?"

"Of course," Sharon smiled. "You're all grown up now; I've watched you in much smaller roles more than this," she teased.

Andy nodded, "I'm happy with whatever, always glad to see you, so I don't mind at all."

"Okay," she nodded. "Oh, here's the restaurant."

"Thank goodness it's not Chinese," Andy sighed. Emily gave him an odd look, and as he held the door, he said, "I'll explain."

Lunch went well, the three laughing about Sharon and Andy's flight across the country. Emily had some stories of friends from work, and they kept lunch light and funny. Andy was paying at the end when his phone went off. He rolled his eyes, as he glanced at Sharon. She tilted her head in question. "Provenza," he explained. "He knows we're on vacation! What?" he barked into the phone. Both Emily and Sharon burst out laughing at his gruff manner.

"Flynn, did you get me a souvenir yet?" he asked.

"What the-," Andy sighed. "Did you really call me to ask if I got you a souvenir?"

"Of course, I did. Also, are recording twinkle toes when she dances?" he asked.

Andy shook his head at the ladies, "You expect me to bring you a souvenir? Are you eight? We can't record the ballet; it's not allowed."

"Oh, just thought I'd be a decent friend and take interest in your kid," Provenza huffed.

"I'll see what I can do," Andy said. "Anything else?"

"When do you come back? Work is boring without you, even without her sniffing around," he admitted.

A smile formed on Andy's face, "Really? You miss us at work and want a souvenir. You do sound like you are eight. Okay, Provenza, I'm going to go. Stay out of trouble, and we'll be back in a week."

"Don't forget my souvenir, Flynn," Provenza added.

"Sorry," Andy sighed as he hung up with Provenza. "Obviously, that was Provenza."

Emily laughed, "He really calls like that?"

"All the time," Sharon jumped in. "Provenza is one of a kind. He wanted a souvenir?"

Andy nodded, "Yeah and asked if we were recording the ballet. Then, get this, he said work was boring without me and even without you lurking around. He misses both of us."

Sharon chuckled, "He misses taunting you and throwing insults my way. Without us, he doesn't have much of an audience."

"He'll get over it," Andy replied. "Ready to go?" The three stood, and started to the door.

"Why did he want to know if you were recording it?" Emily asked.

"That's Provenza's way of being interested without actually saying that. He's interested in seeing you dance, but he can't admit that," he shrugged.

"I can get a copy of the ballet if you want," she offered.

Andy flashed a smile, "That would be great. Thanks, Sweetheart."

"Sure, and if you want to come with me now, you can watch some of our rehearsal. It will still give you time to go back and change before the performance tonight."

"Perfect," Sharon smiled. "That's why we are here."

It was late that night when they returned home from the ballet. Angela had gone to bed; the long day had worn her out, with a note she'd see them in the morning or tomorrow evening, depending on how late people slept.

"She was amazing, Sharon," Andy grinned, as they went about their nightly routines getting ready for bed. "I mean, she makes it look so easy. I've never enjoyed the ballet until I started watching Emily. I guess now I have a reason to like it, and it is just, well, amazing," he grinned.

"I'm glad you are enjoying the ballet," she smiled up at him and walked over to him. She leaned up, and the two began a long, lingering kiss. They finally broke apart when both needed a moment. They smiled at each other. "So, which room tonight?" she asked, nodding her head toward the room choices.

"Hmm, I guess the other room," he suggested, and she nodded. They moved their luggage around and settled in bed. "How about her little surprise that she gets to come with the tour group to LA next year?"

"I'm thrilled," Sharon smiled, as she tilted her head, that was on Andy's chest up to look at him. "I'm so excited to see her perform in LA. August seems like such a long way away, though," she offered a pout. Andy chuckled.

"I know," he winked at her. "It will be here before we know it. Hey, I'll even buy Provenza a ticket. You know he'll want to go, but the old guy would never want to admit to buying a ticket." Sharon chuckled before settling again. Andy ran his hand up and down her back, kissing her head. "This is really nice, Sharon," he sighed. "I'm just thinking we could have had years of this already."

"Or, we could have had years of turmoil and hate each other, Andy," she pointed out. "We can't relive the past over and over."

"You're right," he squeezed her. "I'm glad we are here."

"Me too," she leaned up and kissed him. "Goodnight."

"Night, my love," he kissed her back.

The next day was a good catch up day for them. They were still dealing with a bit of jet lag, sleeping later than planned and missing Angela in the morning. She left a note for them, explaining she'd taken a half day off and would be home after lunch. They all planned to do some sightseeing since Emily had to be to work earlier than normal.

"What are the plans for the day?" Sharon asked as they sipped on their coffee.

"I'm taking you to sightsee," he smiled.

She rolled her eyes, "Yes, I read the note from Angela. What about this morning?"

"Sightsee," he said vaguely. "As much as it pains me to say this, don't wear any heels or anything this morning. Put on your walking shoes, and we're going somewhere special."

An hour later, Sharon was surprised with Andy's sightseeing excursion, "You bought us tickets to go up in the Empire State Building?"

"Yup," he grinned. "When in New York," he trailed off. "Ever been to the top?"

"No," Sharon shook her head. "On the trips I've made here, Emily and I have never done this. I've mainly gone to her shows, and we once went to a Broadway show too, but that's been it, honestly. I guess I went to the Met as well."

"Oh, the Mets?" he grinned, obviously joking. "Now, that's my kind of sightseeing."

Sharon rolled her eyes and was about to correct him when she realized he was joking with her, knowing full well she was talking about the art museum. "Such a funny guy," she squeezed his side, which she was tucked into. They made their way to the top, their tour taking almost two hours.

"It's crazy it can take that long just to get to the top of a building and back down," he shook his head. Sharon just chuckled as they held hands, taking their time walking down the street. It was quite the opposite of most who were in a huge hurry, but they didn't mind.

Sharon chuckled at Andy's impatience. He'd gone on and on about how long it was taking while they were in the building. Now that they were outside again, she was determined to change topics. "What about lunch?" she suggested. "Want to be a total New Yorker and get something from a street vendor?"

He gave her a strange look, "Do you?"

"Yes," she grinned. "As you said, when in New York," and she heard Andy groan throwing his phrasing back at her. "Look, they even have vegetarian hotdogs. What do you say? It might not measure up to a Dodger Dog, but I need to try it to compare."

Andy just grinned, "Whatever you would like, Sharon. It's your vacation too. Let's get you, Ms. Healthy Eater, a hotdog."

It didn't take long for either to finish their food, and Sharon gave him a playful pout. "What?" he asked, looking at her as they continued to walk down the street.

"I'm still hungry," she explained.

He rolled his eyes, "I could have told you that. You've had a cup of coffee for the day and now one hotdog. That's like your one pancake deal. Okay, what else would you like to eat?"

"Hmm, ice cream," she nodded. "Why not just throw the healthy eating out the window all together. Those people that just walked by us had ice cream, so let's get that."

"Okay," Andy sighed, rolling his eyes, "but, I'm only agreeing to this because knowing you, if I disagreed, you'd suggest Chinese, and I can't eat that right now."

They soon found an ice cream shop, and once they had both ordered, they decided to walk and finish their ice cream. "What flavor did you get?" Sharon asked, looking to Andy. She had a strange look on her face, trying to figure it out.

"It's some local thing, almost like a chocolate peanut butter. Want some?" he offered.

"No," she waved him off. "I'll stick with my salted caramel type, whatever they called it. Want to try it?" she asked.

"Yeah," he leaned over and took a bite. "That's pretty good. I think I like it better than this one. Sure you don't want to try it?"

"No thank you," she smiled. The continued walking home to Angela's house, confirming with her via text that she was on her way home from work. They finished their ice cream before getting home, and when they got there, they both collapsed on the living room couch, worn out from their day.

"What's wrong?" Sharon asked, looking to Andy as he wasn't looking so well.

"My stomach," he complained. "I don't feel well. Might have been something I ate," he said before jumping up and making his way to the bathroom. Sharon sat, waiting for him to return.

Angela returned home before Andy cleared the bathroom, and even when he did, he didn't look well. "I think I have food poisoning," he complained, sinking back on the couch near Sharon. "That ice cream," eh groaned, and then he stood again before heading back to the bathroom.

"Oh, gosh," Sharon put her hands in her face. "I'm the one who suggested our quick lunch. I feel terrible."

"Sharon, you couldn't have known," Angela sighed. "I'll make us all some tea."

Andy spent the rest of the afternoon, not sightseeing, but trying to recover from food poisoning. By dinner, it was clear he wouldn't be well enough to make the ballet.

Sharon called Emily to let her know what was going on, and Emily said it would be no problem to switch their tickets to the next evening. With that taken care of, Sharon returned to the living room. "Come on," she encouraged him. "Let's get you upstairs where you can rest properly."

"I hate not spending time with the two of you, though," he complained, but he allowed Sharon to help him upstairs.

"Andy, we will be fine," Sharon added. "You need to rest and get better."

"I'm never eating ice cream again, Sharon," he groaned. "I know it was the ice cream." Sharon couldn't argue with him, whether or not it was the ice cream. She felt awful and couldn't blame him for wanting to ban the food.

Andy ended up sleeping all night, and even when Sharon went to bed, much later, she didn't wake him. He was exhausted from his long afternoon, but she was hopeful that he would feel much better in the morning. She and Angela had a lovely evening, despite Andy not feeling well. They poured some wine, sat and talked, and finally Angela pulled out the photo albums.

"I dug out all these from when we were kids," she smiled. "Has Andy showed you many pictures from childhood?"

"No!" Sharon exclaimed, excited to go through them with her. They spent a couple of hours laughing about photos, Sharon finding a few that Angela told her to keep. One she saw an expression in that she'd seen Emily make all the time too. A few others, she just enjoyed "Little Andy" and was delighted to take home treasures from his childhood.

It had been a good day, of sorts. They all felt terrible about Andy's food poisoning bout, but she and Angela had spent a nice evening together. Emily was getting their tickets changed, and Sharon hoped with sleep, Andy would be ready for a new day.


	43. Chapter 43

"What are you doing here?" Andy mumbled the next morning. Sharon was still a bit groggy herself, but surprised at the greeting.

"What do you mean?" she mumbled back to him, running her hand over his that was on her hip, as she was on her side.

"Why did you sleep here?" he tried again, still confusing Sharon.

"Where would you like me to sleep?" she asked.

"Not with the sick guy," he grumbled. Sharon chuckled at that.

"Well, food poisoning isn't contagious, so I'm not too worried. I am worried about how you are feeling. How are you feeling?" she asked as she shifted to face him. She gave him a small smile.

"Feel like I've been run over by a truck," he made a face. "I haven't been sick in about eight hours though, so I think I'm on the mend," he sighed.

Sharon bit her lip, "I'm so sorry you were sick. I feel terrible."

"I thought you said it wasn't contagious," he let out a chuckle at his small attempt at humor. She swatted at his arm for the bad joke.

"I mean I feel terrible about all this. We were having such a nice time, and then," she sighed. "I'm sorry."

"I know," he shrugged. "It's okay. Good think your beautiful, and I like you," he smiled. "If something like this had happened on Provenza's watch, I'd make sure he never heard the end of it. You," he squeezed her hand, "get a pass."

Sharon ran her hand up and down his arm as they stayed there in silence. Finally, she said, "Are you at all hungry? I know you probably feel awful, but can I get you some breakfast?"

He thought a moment, "I could eat, but I'm not sure what."

"What about oatmeal? Angela and I went through her cabinets last night, and we both thought that might be appealing, not too heavy, and somewhat bland for your stomach."

"Oatmeal works," he nodded. "Thanks."

"Of course," she leaned in and kissed him. "We'll get you feeling better. Emily said she would come by here for lunch today. She figured you would still be on the mend, and since we plan to see the ballet tonight, we can just rest up here this morning."

"Okay, that sounds like a plan," he groaned as he shifted.

"Can I start the shower for you? I'll do that," Sharon decided. "I'll start your shower, and then I'll get your breakfast going. Deal?"

He raised one eyebrow to her, catching her glance as he was now laying on his back, "Do I even have a choice to not take the deal, Captain?"

"It's a pretty good offer," Sharon shrugged as she got out of bed. "You get a shower out of the deal, breakfast, time here to rest all morning, a chance to see your daughter this afternoon, and an evening out with me. I don't see why you'd reject that deal."

He winked at her, "If I must, okay. I'll get in that shower as soon as I can force myself out of bed."

"I'll see you soon," she leaned over and kissed him again quickly as she made her way out of the room to get things started for him.

By lunchtime, Andy was starting to feel somewhat normal again. He'd showered and had some breakfast, still not eating much, but it was a start. After a restless night of sleep, he opted to take a short nap and was now up and currently in search of Sharon again. Angela had gone to work earlier.

"Hey," he leaned over and kissed her head. She was on the screened in porch reading a book.

"Hi," she reached up, grabbing his arm, smiling at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," he nodded as he moved her legs to sit down and then put her legs back on his lap. "Sorry I left you all alone here."

"Are you kidding? It's been quiet, and I've been able to read for the last hour or so. It's been great, except that you've been sleeping because you don't feel well. I'm fine," she patted his hand. "I did get a text from Emily about 10 minutes ago. She is on her way over for lunch. I did walk down to the deli at the corner and got some soup, which is warming on the stove. I also picked up some salads, so we will be set for lunch."

He gave her a look, "You haven't rested; you've been plenty busy."

She shrugged, "Just taking care of my family. Oh, your text messages were going off earlier-Provenza, so I just left it."

"Thanks," he nodded. "I'm sure he's wondering if I got him anything yet."

Sharon covered her mouth, "Any ideas?"

"Oh yeah," he flashed a grin. "I'm going to get him some sort of Mets gear-maybe a hat."

Sharon raised an eyebrow to him, "The Mets? You like the Yankees."

"I know," he grinned. "Provenza will hate it. He asked for something, but it doesn't have to be something he'll like. The Mets are in the same league as the Dodgers, so he hates the Mets. I can get by liking the Yankees because they are in a different league. He wanted a souvenir."

Sharon just closed her eyes and shook her head, "You're terrible."

"You still love me, and I'd never do anything like that to you," he winked.

"Mom?" they heard the faint voice moving through the house. "Oh, there you are, both of you," Emily said. "Hi guys."

"Hi Sweetheart," Andy looked up and smiled at her. "Join us," he gestured.

"Sorry, I wasn't sure if you were still sleeping, so I didn't want to yell out. How are you feeling, Dad?" she asked.

"Better, much better now. I got a good nap in, so almost as good as new," he admitted.

Except we aren't overdoing it this afternoon, Andy," Sharon jumped in. "I know you, and you'll want to go, go, go now that you are starting to feel better. We're going to relax and then enjoy the evening at the ballet."

"Mom's right, Dad," Emily smiled. "Wow, that felt weird to say. It's still a bit odd seeing my mom and dad together, happy."

"It's a bit odd for us," Sharon smiled. Andy just nodded.

"Totally disgusts the team at work," he shrugged. "We like to torment them."

The three enjoyed their time together, not doing much of anything, but just talking and sitting. Quite frankly, they had years and years to make up for, and not every moment needed to be spent "entertaining" each other. With so few visits and a lot of time in between those visits, they were really enjoying normal family time. Andy was learning more and more about Emily, her likes and dislikes, and he was also learning how to function as a family with Sharon. They had not raised her together; neither had had someone to help raise kids. Andy hadn't been too involved in raising his own, other than sending money and seeing them on weekends and some holidays, so this, for them, even at their ages, was sort of unchartered waters. Yes, Emily was grown, but now, she was asking for opinions and advice, and it was interesting to see the three of them settle into their family routine.

"I was planning to take you to a nice dinner," Andy said, as he stood in the doorway watching Sharon put on her makeup for the ballet. Emily had left shortly after lunch to head to work, and he and Sharon had spent the afternoon just resting. They had taken a small walk around Angela's neighborhood, and that had been good for Andy. He was feeling much better.

"Well," she put down her makeup and turned to him, "I hate to get a nice dinner with you not feeling well."

He nodded, "Yeah, so I changed the reservation to tomorrow evening. We can go before her show tomorrow. Tonight, maybe we can just grab something simple. That soup for lunch hit the spot."

"We can get more of that. The little deli on the corner is open for dinner. I don't mind," she smiled.

"You sure? You deserve a nice, romantic dinner," he added.

"Andy, with you, anything is good. Soup sounds perfect, and then tomorrow, we can have that nice dinner. It will be our last night at the ballet. If Angela is available tonight, why don't we bring her to dinner with us? I got to spend all last evening with her, and I know you'd like some time to catch up."

"Okay," he grinned. "I'll see if she's almost home."

An hour later, they met Angela for dinner. She suggested another deli, also close by, so that they wouldn't have the exact same meal. Sharon and Andy both felt a bit overdressed, but it was New York, and people wore all kinds of things.

"Wow, Sharon, love the dress," Angela hugged her when they entered. She was wearing a simple, yet very elegant black cocktail dress to the ballet.

"Oh, thank you," she smiled. "I just heard that from someone else," she smiled at Andy, who was wearing a black suit with a black and silver striped tie.

"You clean up well, too, Andy," Angela smiled. "Let's eat."

Dinner flowed easily, the three talking about Angela making a trip to California soon. They hoped she could come; work for her was a bit of a gamble. She'd been saving her vacation days. If she was going to fly to the West Coast, she wanted to have plenty of time to enjoy it. They agreed to check their calendars and try to figure out a visit, hopefully in the spring.

Emily did another wonderful job at the ballet, and they felt like she was better with each performance. After the show, they made their way backstage. They hadn't done that the first night because it had been late and were still getting over jetlag, but tonight, they were excited to see her. Andy had the roses in hand they'd bought for her.

"Mom, Dad," she hugged them both, taking the flowers. She began introducing them to her friends and co-workers. Sharon and Andy's smiles continued to grow as she dragged them around, introducing her "parents," a phrase they weren't sure she'd ever used. It felt normal. They spent a half hour or so backstage before leaving Emily to finish. She was tired, exhausted from her earlier rehearsal, so they agreed to see her tomorrow.

"Yoo-hoo, Lieutenant," they heard and froze as they exited the building. Sharon gripped Andy's arm, knowing that voice, the voice that had talked to them for five hours just a few days ago. They both turned, plastering on a smile.

"Oh, hi, umm, Beverly," he smiled. Sharon smiled too, nodding in greeting herself.

"I thought that was you!" she exclaimed, all excited. "I hoped I would see you tonight. My group is slow to get going. Several are using the restroom, and well, we just don't move that quickly. Oh, the ballet was wonderful! Your daughter did a great job. I picked her out from the picture on my brochure. Just wonderful," she gushed.

"Thank you," Sharon nodded. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. She's exhausted; we just left her."

"Oh, darn! I was hoping to meet her myself. Get her to sign my program. It would make my group jealous," she smiled.

"We can do better than that," Sharon nodded, Andy giving her a panicked look. "She is still backstage. Come with us," she offered. Andy just stared at Sharon like she'd lost it. Sharon knew that this was going to be a story; Emily had already heard all about the flight, so meeting the infamous Beverly would be the icing on the cake. They were able to get backstage again, and Sharon knocked on the door to the dressing area. After asking for Emily, she appeared a few minutes later, still dressed from the evening.

"Mom," she had a strange look, "Dad, they said you were back?" she asked.

Sharon smiled at Emily, "Emily, we ran into a friend from our flight, Beverly, when we stepped outside. She was praising you tonight, and well," she shrugged, "we thought you could meet her. She asked if you could sign her program?"

"Oh," Emily said a bit surprised, and then she glanced to Beverly, "Hi, it's nice to meet you."

"I'm delighted to meet you!" Beverly said, pulling her into a hug, catching everyone a bit off guard. Sharon covered her mouth from laughing, as she met Andy's gaze. He just rolled his eyes.

Emily pulled back, "Tell you what-hold on," she said, disappearing for a moment. She returned with one of her headshot photos. "Here, you can have this. It's signed too."

"Oh, this is wonderful! Thank you!" she exclaimed, pulling her in for another hug. After taking a picture with Emily, Beverly, turned back to the group. "Well, this just made my whole trip."

"Glad we could help," Sharon nodded. "Emily, we'll talk to you tomorrow."

Sharon, Andy, and Beverly made their way outside once again, where Beverly's group was waiting for her. She had explained some of the group didn't believe she was a "friend" to one of the dancers was now delighted she had proof. Some of the group came to the ballet just to see Beverly's friend, Emily. They bid Beverly a good night before heading home themselves.

"That was nice of you," Andy said quietly as they arrived at Angela's place. Sharon shrugged.

"She's lonely, as we knew. A bit annoying, yes, but it was nice to make her whole trip with just that little thing. Besides, I knew Emily would enjoy meeting the infamous Beverly," Sharon smiled.

Andy nodded, pulling her to his side, "You are a good person, Sharon, but I swear if Beverly is on our flight home, I might make her sit with you."


	44. Chapter 44

"What's wrong?" Sharon asked Andy as they continued to walk. He was paranoid; he kept turning around, expecting to see something or someone.

"I keep thinking she'll pop our or something. I can't relax. The idea of a five-hour flight sitting next to her again," he sighed. "I know I sound crazy, but I can't take it. I just want a relaxing flight home."

Sharon stopped and turned to him, running her hand up his chest, "Andy, will you relax?" she smiled. "You will be fine. She won't be on this flight with us. Promise."

"Promise? You can't promise that," he argued.

She titled her head, "I can if I asked her. She's not flying to LA until tomorrow, so you're safe. Just stuck with me," she grinned.

His face broke into a smile, and for the first time since they'd arrived at the airport, he seemed to relax. "Well, in that case," he looped his arm around her shoulders, "let's enjoy our flight."

Sharon was right; Beverly wasn't on their flight, and by early evening, they were back in LA. Sharon was starting back to work tomorrow, while Andy still had time off. They'd planned it that way to keep suspicion at a minimum. They weren't worried about Major Crimes; the team already knew, but it was more to keep things quiet throughout the building should anyone else suspect anything. Andy dropped Sharon off at her condo, the two deciding to check on their own homes for at least a day since they had been gone for so long.

By the time Andy returned to work, Sharon was starting to realize she liked working with Major Crimes because she did see a great deal of him during the day. She just hated why she had to work with Major Crimes. This mole issue was stressing her, along with the entire team, out. Several refused to admit there was one. Even Andy had told Sharon it couldn't be one of the guys; it just couldn't. She, however, was sure that Goldman was getting inside information, and it was coming from one of the team members. The problem was pinpointing that person. It wasn't going to be easy.

"Flynn, about time you got here," Sharon heard from the desk where she was interviewing Buzz. It wasn't anything formal, so they were in his corner of the office. It was early too, with only Provenza and Buzz there. Andy's arrival had her glance up and smile at him when their eyes met.

"Well, good morning to you, too, Sunshine," Andy flashed a fake smile at Provenza. With still so few in the office, he turned and gave a warm smile to Sharon, "Morning, Captain."

"Good morning to you, Lieutenant," Sharon smiled and changed her posture. She crossed her leg turning back to Buzz as she continued, "Have a nice vacation?"

"The best," he grinned, turning back to Provenza. "I know you missed me. Come here," he opened his arms to Provenza. "We can hug it out."

"Is that hug invitation for me or for her?" Provenza made a horrified face. "Send you off for a week with her, and I can't even," he continued to grumble. Sharon just chuckled, as did Buzz.

"Fine," he shrugged. "I guess you don't want that souvenir you called to remind me to bring you."

Provenza jumped up, pouncing like a cat attacking its prey, "What did you bring me?"

Sharon tapped Buzz's hand, nodding her head to get Buzz's attention to watch the interaction. He turned, as did she, and they watched, "Oh, I searched long and hard for just the right thing," Andy grinned. "She helped. Emily thought the gift was perfect too. Here you go," he held out a bag. Provenza snatched it from Andy.

"What is this? A bobblehead? You got me a Mets bobblehead? Why?" he grumbled, an irritated look now on his face.

"Captain, he doesn't like my gift," Andy threw a pouty face toward her, and Buzz started to laugh.

"Serves you right, Lieutenant, after you wrecked my car with that subpoena case," Buzz interjected. Sharon laughed.

"Hey, I said I would bring you something. You didn't specify more than that. Well, actually you did. You wanted a video of Emily dancing, you big teddy bear. Here you go," he pulled out a folder, and in it, he grabbed two things. "She sent you a sighed photograph as well as a recording of the show."

Provenza, with his scowl, took both items, being careful not to rip them out of Andy's hand, "To Uncle P-Thank you for being a lover of the ballet. It's never too late to start dancing. Love-Your Dancing Queen."

Sharon, Andy, and Buzz all burst out laughing while Provenza turned beet red. He turned to Andy, ready to say something, and instead, he just closed his mouth and shook his head. He clutched his new souvenirs in hand and walked back to his desk.

"Ma'am, I must say your daughter sounds like a real fireball. I'm envisioning her now, her personality, and with half of you and half of Lieutenant Flynn, I can only imagine," Buzz continued to chuckle as Sharon and Andy smiled at each other. Andy waved at Provenza, thus ending their little reunion. Surprisingly, Provenza put the bobblehead on his desk and the photo and video in his desk drawer. Apparently, he was happy, even if he wouldn't admit it.

October became November, and soon, the entire LAPD found themselves swamped with holiday type cases. Thanksgiving was approaching, and Andy was looking forward to spending the day at home with Sharon and Nicole. Andy and Sharon had decided to cook Thanksgiving together at his house, inviting both Nicole and Nathan. They'd also invited Ricky; Emily was stuck in New York and couldn't come. Because of that, Ricky had declined, telling them he was going to spend the time in New York with Emily so she wasn't alone. It was a sweet thing to do, but then that left the question of Nicole and Nathan in the balance. Nathan said he was planning to spend the day at his mom's house, but Nicole said that while she, too, would be at her mom's, she wanted to come by later for dessert, with Dean. That relationship was going well, and as the days passed, Andy and Sharon felt like an engagement for the two was coming. Andy knew Nicole was in no rush, as marrying into a family was a big deal, but both felt Nicole had found love.

Thanksgiving went well. Nicole did come by, and Sharon and Andy spent the evening enjoying Dean's boys. The even offered to babysit them over the weekend so Nicole and Dean could enjoy some time alone. Dean had plans to do Christmas shopping for the boys, and Nicole was eager to help.

"What are we going to do with two toddlers here tomorrow?" Andy asked as he collapsed on the bed later that evening. Sharon was already in bed, reading her book. She put it down and smiled at Andy.

"We'll have a great time," she grinned. "They are such sweet boys, Andy. I'm sure we can find some fun things to do. Dean said he would bring their stroller. Maybe we can take a walk. That park a few blocks over always had ducks. Maybe we can feed the ducks. I'm sure that we can find a ball too, and we can play with them in the backyard."

Andy nodded, leaning over and kissing her cheek, "Your eyes are sparkling-did you know? You just radiate when you talk about kids. I'm looking forward to tomorrow now just so I can see you in parent mode. It's going to be a good day, even if I'm nervous about entertaining two toddlers."

Sharon turned to him, "Andy, they are toddlers. Trust me. It's going to be great."

* * *

 ****We are now back up to another segment of Season 7. I had to get us through Thanksgiving to get to episodes 11-15.**


	45. Chapter 45

**Okay, everyone, here's the next chapter. Please know I'm getting these posted as soon as I can. I had someone tell me they couldn't believe I wasn't writing the story anymore (my last chapter was just over 24 hours ago). Note, the story is still going, and yes, I'm going to finish it. Thanks for the enthusiasm, though. I post as soon as I can!**

* * *

"Can you move?" he asked, and she started to chuckle.

"Stop! Don't make me laugh," she whispered. "He's finally asleep, and if I laugh, he'll wake up. I can move one arm," she reached over and grabbed his hand. "I'm fine." Sharon and Andy were babysitting. They had been watching the boys for a few hours now, both finally asleep for their naps. Jake had fallen asleep in the spare bedroom, and Chris, who had taken longer to fall asleep, was sprawled across Sharon.

"I feel bad that you can't move much," Andy whispered, "although, I have to say the guy has the right idea to sleep all sprawled out on you like that."

"Andy, stop!" Sharon chuckled again, smacking his hand that she could reach. "You're going to wake him up."

"Fine," he winked at her. 'I'll stop. "Do you think I can turn on a football game, or will the sound bother him."

"You can turn on the game. Just promise, no yelling at the refs. Keep the sound down," she instructed, and he nodded, turning on a game to watch. They'd had a good time with the boys, the living room evident of that. Dean had brought over a basket of toys from his house, and Sharon had dug out some kids' books from her house. Between all that, they had kept the boys occupied. Dean had also brought his stroller, which worked perfectly for the walk they had taken earlier in the day. They'd walked to the park and fed the ducks as Sharon had discussed prior.

"So, remind me how two little people can wear out a person like they have?" he groaned as he flopped his head back on the couch. Sharon sat there, gently rubbing Chris' back as he slept.

"Hmmm, they do have a lot of energy. I think that's proportional to the amount of energy we seem to lose each year. As we get older, we lose energy, and they seem to gain it. They had a great time, though," she commented.

"They did," Andy chuckled. "Jake thought for sure he could catch one of those ducks. Kid is fast enough; he almost did."

Sharon grinned, "I know. Funny thing, though, I don't know what he would have done if he'd actually caught it."

"Yeah, boys," he chuckled. "Nathan had a lot of energy like that. Nicole was always a good girl, not the one trying to cause trouble."

Sharon rolled her eyes at Andy, "Well, Emily was one for causing trouble. Ricky wasn't any better. The two of them fed off each other. Even now when they get together, they somehow enjoy trying to torture the other."

"Emily? Nah, I don't buy it. She's an angel," he grinned. Sharon just hummed smiling at him. "Now, Ricky, yeah, I can see that," he nodded. "He's Jack's kid, so that doesn't surprise me, but my kids are angels; they stay out of trouble."

Sharon closed her eyes and started laughing again, "Stop," she said again. "I'm warning you-don't wake him, or I'll be sure next time to feed them both a huge bowl of ice cream and then just happen to get called into work."

"Speaking of, I'm on call starting tomorrow. Did I tell you that?" he asked.

"No," she shook her head, "but, I'm on call too."

"Ahh, so maybe I'll see Captain Raydor over the weekend," he nodded.

"I hope not," she added. "Sharon would like to enjoy the weekend. Captain Raydor needs some time off."

A knock at the door and it opening had the two glancing over. Andy stood to answer it, both he and Sharon smiling when they saw Nicole and Dean come inside. "Oh, look how sweet," Nicole smiled at Chris all over Sharon's lap.

"Guy is putting the moves on Sharon," Andy shook his head, sighing. That got everyone laughing again, and then he turned to Sharon and whispered a "Sorry" because he knew it could wake Chris.

"Did you get some shopping done?" Sharon asked from her seat on the couch.

"We did," Dean nodded, as he sat in Andy's favorite recliner to speak to her. "I can't thank you enough for watching the boys. I know they are a handful."

"We loved it," Sharon smiled. "They were great. We took a walk, fed the ducks, played here obviously," she gestured to the mess in the room, "and, they fell asleep about a half hour ago." Dean and Nicole nodded along as Sharon explained their day, while Andy started to collect the toys.

"Oh, we'll help, Dad," Nicole offered and dropped to clean up the mess. "I loved shopping for little boy Christmas toys! It was so sweet," she sighed. "Now, the girl stuff was so cute too, but shopping for boy stuff like trucks and action figures is so cute."

Sharon chuckled, "I always enjoyed that I had one of each so that I could get girl stuff and boy stuff. Now, Ricky didn't appreciate his action figures in the Barbie house, but," she shrugged, "they figured it out."

The four adults talked awhile longer while Sharon sat on the couch with a sleeping Chris. The rest cleaned up the room, chatting about Christmas plans. Soon, Jake emerged from his nap, all smiles when he saw his dad had returned. They proceeded to start loading up the car, and by the time they were almost ready to go, Chris woke up. Sharon and Andy helped them load up and sent them on their way, not before they offered to babysit again and soon.

"So," Sharon looped her arm through Andy's, "how does it feel to be a grandpa?" she grinned.

He groaned, as he kissed her head, "She's going to marry him, isn't she?"

"Yes," Sharon smiled up at Andy, "but would that be so bad."

"Nope," he shook his head, "not at all. Dean's a great guy, and the boys are too. Nicole's head over heels for all three of those guys. I guess now, we wait," he nodded.

"Yes," Sharon agreed. "That will make you a grandpa, though."

"Yeah, I guess you are right," he sighed again.

"Don't worry; you still look younger than Provenza," Sharon teased, which had Andy grab her around her waist and chase her back in the house. They didn't get very far before Andy's phone started to ring.

"Ugh, I'm not on call until tomorrow," he grumbled, breaking free of the grip he had on Sharon.

"What?" he snarled into his phone. "No, I'm not going to the buffet with you right now. Why? Sharon and I have plans. Don't call me unless we have a case," he hung up, flashing a smile at Sharon. "Provenza wanted me to go to the all you can eat buffet with him. That guy," he shook his head.

Sharon chuckled too, "Well, don't let me stop you," she teased. Andy rolled his eyes at her.

"Well, I told him we had plans for the afternoon, so.." he trailed off, looking at Sharon.

"Can we put up the Christmas tree like we talked about the other day?" she asked. Andy nodded as he chuckled.

"I didn't think you'd forget that. Let's head back to your place now that my place is clean again, and I'm at your disposal the rest of the day. We can get that tree up and enjoy the evening sitting there looking at it," he said.

"Great," Sharon smiled. "As you know, I love decorating for Christmas. This year, we can go through the kids' old ornaments," she offered, "and curling up with you this evening sounds like the perfect end to the day."

They had gotten the tree up, taken a break for dinner, and had just started to decorate it when Andy's phone rang again.

"Provenza," he grumbled again, "how can the guy be hungry if he already went to a buffet today? What?" he barked into the phone again. Sharon shook her head at the banter the two men had. It was comical to be around. She heard him sigh and could tell they must have caught a case. As he was finishing, her phone rang too. Andy finished his call before she did, and as she was still getting the details, she saw him head back to the bathroom to freshen up. He came out, attached his holster, and he collected his stuff.

"I'm guessing we caught the same case-guy found shot to death in his car?" he nodded to her, "seeing as how you're still following Major Crimes around?"

"That's the call I got, so yes, it seems that way," she shook her head.

"I hate you having to follow us around, Sharon. I know you are doing your job, but man, morale is low. The guys think you're trying to poke holes in our detective work. They are irritated with me because I'm involved with you," he admitted.

"Andy, I'm sorry," she sighed. "It's not where I want to be either, trust me. Look, can we table this for later? I will be there, at the crime scene, and yes, I will be documenting everything. Tell the team to ignore my being there and just go about their jobs. Go on ahead," she waved. "I'm going to change and will be there shortly too."

"Fine," he sighed. "Don't worry, Captain, I'll sign in the log book," he rolled his eyes as he leaned in to kiss her good-bye. "I had a really good day with you, but that doesn't change that I'm dreading going to work right now."

"I know," she patted his hand. "Just do your job, and I'll do mine. Love you," she pecked his lips.

"Love you too," Sharon, he nodded before leaving.


	46. Chapter 46

Trophies. He was so sick of hearing about trophies. Like the rest of the division, he wanted to call a spade a spade. They were at the coach's house with a warrant looking for a gun. Sharon, or Captain Raydor, since they were on the job, and apparently since he didn't know he like he thought, kept spouting off about trophies. It was hard to believe that just the day before, they'd spent exhausting themselves with Dean's kids and then later on putting up Sharon's Christmas tree. That had been nice and felt real, except apparently it wasn't. Andy had arrived at the crime scene separate from the others because he'd been securing the warrant, but as soon as they'd gotten inside, Provenza had yanked him aside.

"Flynn! Why didn't you tell me she's retiring?" Provenza said with a sudden sparkle in his eye.

"Retiring? Who? Are you on something?" Andy asked in a loud whisper. They really should be executing the search warrant, but apparently Provenza thought something was more important.

His surprise showed, "Well, the captain, of course. She let the cat out of the bag-new job, some important security job, and she's retiring. I can't believe you didn't tell me."

Andy's eyebrows were the giveaway to Provenza, even though his words would have been as well, "What? Sharon's retiring? I don't know what you are talking about? Where did you hear that?"

"You two haven't talked about this? Are things still going okay? I thought you two were getting closer, but maybe I was wrong. Yes, she told His Holiness and Taylor in some meeting today. Taylor came right to me and blabbed all about it. It's the first and last time I will ever be glad to talk to Taylor," Provenza grumbled.

Andy shook his head, completely dumbfounded, "I honestly have no clue about any of this. We've been good, really good in fact," Andy scratched his head. "I mean, I knew work has been hard on her. She hates following us around, documenting everything. Even last night at the crime scene, it took everything for me not to blow a gasket at her timeline questions for us. I held it together only because she and I have talked about this, that she hates it. I know nothing about a job offer or retiring," he spit out, getting more and more upset.

"Well, find out," Provenza pointed a finger at Andy. "That's one retirement party I am not missing. I'll even offer to escort her from the building, your girlfriend or, "he shook his head, "baby momma, or whatever she is to you."

Andy rolled his eyes at Provenza's descriptions, but as Provenza walked off, Andy stood there angry. He glanced to see Sharon walking through the house with officers in tow. He wanted nothing more right now but to pull her aside and go rounds about this big secret. What was Sharon doing, and why in the world had she not talked to him? He thought they had made great progress; they were a family, one growing closer and closer each day. Trophies. Retirement. Job offer. He needed to wrap up this crime scene and now, even if she did have a good suggestion to use a metal detector for her "trophy" search in the yard. Andy knew he'd be lucky to get through the day without going rounds with Sharon.

He didn't make it through the day; in fact, he didn't make it out of the neighborhood. As they wrapped up the search at the home, the division all started back to their cars. Normally, he would have ridden with Provenza, but he'd driven because he'd been securing that warrant. That didn't stop him, though, as he flung open the passenger door to Sharon's issued car and pounced into the seat. It took her by surprise, more than he wanted, and he almost thought about apologizing, but then he remembered just how mad he was.

"Why did I just hear from Provenza that you have taken some new job and are retiring?" he spit out, visibly mad as his face turned a deeper red.

"Andy!" she said, still startled. Her eyes got bigger as he spoke and she digested his words.

"Answer me, Sharon. I'm not leaving, so you might as well start driving unless you want to have this out right here with patrol officers still milling around. Retiring? New job? Sharon, I love you, and I thought we were on the same page! Why do you have to be so stubborn? Why do you have to shut me out after all this time? Why?" he continued to sputter, flaring his arms about as he spoke.

Sharon finally stilled one hand, as she put the car in drive and pulled away. She definitely didn't want this discussion to happen with other members of the LAPD in the area. "Andy," she tried, calmly, but he was still not hearing anything she was saying. "Andy!" she said loudly, pulling up to the stop sign and stopping abruptly to get him to snap out of his rant. She turned the corner, and now safely out of sight of the home, she pulled over and looked at Andy.

"Andy," she sighed. "Let me explain," and as he started to speak again, she raised one finger, "Ahh, ahh, please." Andy nodded, and she continued, "Andy, you know me better than anyone. Before I get into the details, I'm not retiring, and there is no job. You can't honestly think that would be true, and even worse, that I wouldn't discuss something like that with you now. We've come so far. Andy," she sighed.

Andy had calmed a bit, "Sharon, what is going on?" he said, still very flustered.

Sharon took a deep breath and took his hands in hers. He almost jerked them back simply due to being flustered, but she held to them tightly. "Andy, I don't know the specifics of you finding out yet, but this is already proving to me that my suspicions of a leak in the division are true."

Andy snapped his head up to meet her eyes. He saw she was very serious with a sad smiled to her face. She was looking right into his eyes, a look that told him she was serious, yet being honest with him.

"Andy," she continued, "tell me what you heard and when, please."

He sighed as he shook his head, "Provenza yanked me aside at the crime scene back there. He told me all about it, with his source being none other than Taylor. The rest of the division knows. I only was the last to be clued in because I was busy with that search warrant. That still doesn't prove there's a leak, only that Taylor can't keep his mouth shut. That, Sharon, isn't news. We all know that."

Sharon nodded in agreement, "Yes, but for a leak to be present, a rumor-a big one at that-needs to circulate and make its way to Goldman, like I think it will. I'm still betting he will know about this sooner rather than later. Andy, I was setting a trap, and obviously a good one. It got you this upset, so I know it must have sounded that believable."

"And, what if your theory doesn't pan out?" he questioned.

Sharon shrugged, "We'll deal with it in a few days, then. I would love for my theory to not hold, but I firmly believe there is a leak."

Andy sighed as he closed his eyes and hung his head. Sharon felt his grip tighten on their hands that were still intertwined on the console, "Sharon, I owe you an apology. I'm sorry. I heard all that from Provenza, and I snapped. I was just proud of myself for keeping it somewhat together at the house. I wanted to pull you aside there and get to the bottom of this, but I was able to just talk myself off the ledge a few times."

Sharon patted his hand to get his attention, "Hey, it's okay. It wasn't something I could tell you beforehand. Honestly, it wasn't something I planned. It just came up as we were talking. The opportunity presented itself, and I think my theory will prove correct. I don't know who the leak is; right now, I only know it's not you, but I have to see if this plays out like I think it will. With the rumor spreading that fast in your division, I suspect the leak, whomever it is, will pass that along to Goldman. He knows I'm the thorn in his side, so I'm sure he will be delighted to hear I'm retiring."

Andy just nodded, looking down toward his feet, "Yeah, I get it. I'm sure my completely surprised reaction, which of course, was authentic, will end up helping you out. Provenza couldn't believe I didn't know, and the rest of the division saw just how irritated I was. You know Provenza isn't your leak, too, don't you?"

Sharon offered him a small smile, "Yes," she nodded. "As much as he can annoy me, I do not doubt his loyalty. He's a good detective, even if he gets into his fair share of trouble."

Andy was about to argue that point, but the look he got from Sharon, he just nodded, "Provenza would rather spend a day with all of his ex-wives together before he'd ever be some sort of defense attorney snitch." Sharon just nodded, and the two sat in silence in her car for a few more moments. Andy continued, "Sharon, I'm sorry I overreacted and jumped to the wrong conclusions."

She turned to him, gripping his hand even tighter, "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you. It kills me to have to follow you around like you can't do your job. I hate it. Your division does a fantastic job solving murders, and I feel like a hall monitor anymore. I feel like I'm treated as a rookie and not as a decorated captain. Andy, this job is hard-both our jobs, and this all could get worse before it gets better. I need you to know that, but I also need you to keep talking to me. As frustrating as this disagreement was, I'm glad you came to me and talked it through. It would have been much worse if you had just stewed over it. Please promise me we'll keep talking."

Andy nodded, looking at her, "Promise. Thank you for telling me your plan. You don't have to even ask that I will keep it between us, but if I may, could I please be there when Provenza hears you aren't retiring? He's already planning to be your personal police escort out of the building."

Sharon chuckled at that, breaking the last of the tension. She smiled at Andy, "I'll give you that. I'll tell him myself in a few days if my theory proves to be right."

Andy nodded and leaned over the console to give her a quick kiss. She put her hand on his face as he pulled away and deepened their kiss. When they pulled apart, Andy opened his car door.

"Where are you going?" she asked, looing confused.

"Back to my car," he told her.

"I'll drive you around the block," she offered, and he shook his head.

"Nah, I think I need a moment to cool off. I know I got upset there, and it will be good for me to clear my head. We're good," he smiled at her. "I just need a moment. You're right; this job is tough enough, and our relationship complicates the matter. The stress creeps up."

She nodded again, "Dinner tonight? If we wrap the case, let's have dinner," she suggested.

Andy nodded, "Wouldn't miss it. I'll probably hit a meeting first, but then I'll come by with dinner after."

"Maybe then we can discuss my retirement party," Sharon, who had put the window down, answered and winked to Andy.

He just chuckled as he shut the door and waved as he started to walk down the sidewalk, but before she pulled away, he said, "I'll be in charge of your retirement trophy, Captain."


	47. Chapter 47

She unlocked the door, not sure if he was still awake and threw her things down in the entryway. It was dark, and she moved quickly through the house, knowing its layout well. She made her way to his bedroom, the door open, as he always left it.

"Andy?" she called out, not wanting to alarm him or worse, think an intruder was there and grab his gun. She heard him shifting in bed.

"Sharon?" he called out, obviously confused. "What are you doing here?" It was late, but not so late that she expected him to be in a deep sleep. Quite frankly, she wasn't sure he would be getting any sleep. He turned enough to turn on his lamp, and Sharon sighed when she saw how disheveled he looked. She went to the side of the bed and sat down, a sad smile on her face.

"Well, I can leave," she ran her hand on the side of his face, "but, I thought I might see how you are doing," she told him.

"Your flight from New York isn't supposed to get in for three more days. Why didn't you call me? I would have picked you up. Did you take a taxi here?" he asked, sitting up now, trying to figure out why Sharon, who was supposed to be on vacation, obviously wasn't.

Sharon sighed, as she leaned in to give him a kiss. She held his hands in hers when she began to speak, "Andy, I wasn't going to leave you here alone to deal with this latest case. You saw a girl die on the side of the road, hit by a drunk driver. Andy," she sighed, shaking her head. "I wanted to be here for you. I had a great visit with Emily, Ricky too," she smiled, "but I needed to come home. Emily agreed too. Besides, two weeks of vacation-that's almost too much for me," she gave him another sad smile.

Andy sighed, as he ran his hands through his hair, "You didn't have to come home, but I'm glad to see you. It's been a tough case. I can't believe how it ended up. I wish you would have told me you were coming home. I would have met you at the airport."

Sharon shook her head, "It wasn't necessary, and honestly, probably for the best. My flight was delayed, and besides, when I got on the flight, even before it was delayed, you were still working the case. I didn't want to be a bother to you. I read all your text messages, though, as you updated me. I'm sorry you probably thought I wasn't replying."

This time, he shook his head, "I just got busy with the case and figured you were at Emily's show. Then, when the case was finished, I just wanted to get out of there and come home. I figured I would call you in the morning. I wanted to hear you voice, but you, here, in person, it's even better," he offered a small smile.

"Are you okay?" she asked, very concerned about him. "I know this was a tough case."

He sighed as he leaned his head back against the headboard and looked up, "Yeah, I'll be okay. Sharon, it's just not right. A girl that young shouldn't have to die because of a drunk. I can't stop thinking back to my drinking days, thinking how easily that could have been me. It just makes me sick. To think that she was younger than Nicole or Emily, just a college kid, and-" he trailed off, shaking his head. Sharon sighed too; she'd had the same thoughts on the flight, knowing that Andy would think back to his drinking days too.

"Have you been able to sleep?" she asked, rubbing her hand over his. He was still leaning his head back, eyes closed. When she spoke, he looked at her.

"No," he shook his head. "I've been to a few meetings, but I haven't been able to sleep in a couple days. I'm hoping to get some sleep tonight."

"Well, do you mind if I stay here with you, then?" she asked.

"Yes, Sharon. I do mind," he said with a very serious look. "I can't believe you are asking me," he told her and just when she was ready to reply to his very surprising answer, she caught a glint in his eye and smacked his arm.

"Oh, stop," she shook her head. "Well, I didn't want to just assume or just show up here and have you wake up to me asleep here."

"Why not?" he raised his eyebrows. "That sounds amazing, honestly. Sharon, you are always welcome here."

"Okay," she smiled at him, leaning in to kiss him properly, "good. I'll just go get my bag and get ready for bed. I'm exhausted from traveling, but I'm glad to be here with you." Andy shifted to get out of bed, and Sharon stopped him, "You don't need to get up."

"Yes, I do," he nodded. "You, go, get a shower. I'll go get your bag in the hallway for you. Then, maybe we can both get some sleep, and tomorrow, you can tell me all about your trip when I get home from work."

She nodded, standing, as he did too, "Okay, thank you, and I'll tell you on the way to work, if you'll drive me too. I might as well not use my last couple vacation days if I'm here. Chief Pope will be glad to see me anyway. It sounds like there is some developments on the lawsuit, and he's been calling my cell nonstop."

By the next morning, the two were both feeling a bit better. They'd gotten a few hours of sleep, more than either had gotten in the last few days. They were on their way to work, for what they both hoped, was a somewhat quiet day.

"So, how was your trip?" Andy asked as he pulled out of his driveway and began the long commute. They were armed with travel mugs of hot coffee and ready for the hour drive.

"Good," Sharon smiled. "Emily sends her love, and even Ricky said to tell you hi. He called me after he heard about my coming home early and was sorry to hear about your case too. I could tell even he's worried about you. I had a very nice visit with him that first week. I'm glad I did my three-way ticket to visit him in San Francisco and then fly from there to New York. It worked out well, and I was glad to see both kids. I'm just sorry you couldn't get the time off."

"Yeah," he nodded, "me too. It's been too quiet around here, home and work. I missed you a lot too. I'm sorry I didn't get to go; I would have enjoyed seeing both kids too. Ricky might not be mine, but I love that kid too," he smiled to Sharon, taking her hand in his.

"Thank you," she smiled. "I think the feeling is mutual because he's mentioned you've shown more interest in him than Jack has most of his life. So, we'll have to find another time to go visit him. He's still trying to get down here after Christmas for a few days, so we might see him then."

"Good," Andy nodded. "I'll look forward to that. How's our girl doing?" he asked.

"Which one?" Sharon's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Emily or Angela because both of them were terribly sorry you didn't come." He chuckled, and Sharon continued, "Emily is doing well. She's a bit lonely. Her friend, who isn't a boyfriend, is dating someone, and I think she's a bit jealous."

"Ahh," he nodded. "One of those situations. She mentioned she wasn't spending as much time with him. Well, I hope it all works out, whatever that means."

They continued their drive, chatting easily until Andy made a turn, "That's the spot," he sighed as he drove by. "That's where she was hit."

Sharon studied the area, the scene, shaking her head, "You said you met her parents too?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Brought them to this spot. It's hard to drive by, probably always will be. I'll never forget Gracie. She was a good kid; I can tell. I wanted to send flowers to her parents when they do her funeral. I'll put both our names on it if that's okay. I know you didn't meet them, but I got to talking with her parents. They asked me if I had kids, and of course, I told them I had three. Hard to tell them two were girls just a bit older than Gracie. They told me to make time to visit my kids, which I told them you were visiting Emily, so your name came up-not all the details surrounding us. I just told them that you were visiting our daughter in New York right now. I would have had you meet them if you had been here."

"That's fine, and I would have been happy to meet them too," she offered a small smile. "I can help you pick something out to send if you want."

"That would be good," he nodded. "Let's get some dinner after work? I'll drive you to the condo then if you want?"

She nodded, "I'd like that. I let Emily and Ricky know I'd gotten home okay. If you finish before me, just come by my office," she said, as they were arriving at work. They parked and got on a full elevator. Once Andy got off on his floor, he simply nodded to Sharon, as she continued to hers.

Dinner didn't happen that night. As they were about to sit to eat, Andy got the call out for a case. Sharon's luck didn't go much better, although, she wasn't following around the squad like she had been. Provenza had taken the lead on keeping things by the book at the crime scene, something she was grateful to him. She, though, got caught up with the latest on Goldman. It had come to her attention through Andy's case, that he had been upstate to visit an inmate, and all of that started to tie back into the Baylor lawsuit. Her head was spinning that, in a city the size of Los Angeles, cases, as of late, kept including the same names. It was too much of a coincidence, and she wanted to wrap things up.

They all did wrap things up a few days later, just after Christmas. It was a good thing neither of them had a lot of special Christmas plans because the cases took over any plans they might have had. Luckily for Sharon and Andy, their plans included each other, and both had to work. Plans with Nicole were rescheduled, and Ricky was able to shift his plans a couple of days for his visit.

"What's this Johnson Rule?" Andy asked, as he entered Sharon's office and settled in one of her chairs. It was late in the evening now, both finishing their cases. Most of Sharon's office had gone home; Andy had waited that long to check on her.

She looked up as he had entered and smiled. At the mention of the lawsuit negotiation, she frowned slightly, "Chief told you about that?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "Well, congratulations for getting to that point, for getting Goldman off your back. I know you did what you could, but Chief was still all over the office complaining about it."

Sharon nodded, "I don't blame her. They dropped her from the lawsuit, but somewhat hung her out to dry with that new policy. Things aren't over, though," she said, giving him a look.

"The leak?" he asked, sighing.

Sharon nodded, "Yes, I'm still going to deal with that. It's just not as easy as I would like. Detectives are good at their jobs for a reason."

He nodded, "You'll find the person, whether it's tomorrow, a month from now, or even worse, months from now, Sharon. Are you ready to head home?"

"I am," she nodded. "Talked to Ricky, and he's coming home tomorrow now. That will work. Were you able to speak to Nicole?"

He nodded, "Yeah, she and Dean are going out for New Year's Eve since I volunteered to watch two toddlers. I should say I volunteered both of us to watch them, that is, if you'll be my date for New Year's Eve?" he winked. Sharon chuckled, nodding. "She is going to come to dinner this week when Ricky is here. I told her she was welcome to bring Dean and the boys if that's okay with you?"

"Of course," Sharon nodded. "Dean and the boys are always welcome."

"That's what I told her," Andy said as he watched Sharon collect her things to leave. They were able to follow each other back to Sharon's condo where they had agreed to make a lasagna together. Sharon was planning to have plenty of food on hand for Ricky, knowing he would eat everything in the house. Since the two had worked through Christmas, they hadn't had time to make Christmas cookies and other treats. They had discussed that was in the plans for the morning before Ricky arrived.

Andy's phone, as they were preparing the lasagna, caused him to groan, "It'd better not be a case," he sighed as he dug his phone out. Sharon looked at him with interest. "It's Dean," he said, worried. "Dean?" he asked as he answered. Sharon looked at him too, worried about Nicole. Andy waved her off a few moments later, the "she's okay" type of wave. Sharon couldn't tell what was going on, but Andy chatted for a few moments before he started walking around while talking.

Sharon finally figured out the reason for the call as Andy was finishing, "Dean, I like you very much. Yes, you have my blessing. I touched you asked me too. Yeah, we'll see you in a couple days."

Sharon wiped off her hands and smiled at Andy, as he walked back to her, "Dean?" she smiled. "Dean's going to propose?" she inferred from the one-sided discussion she'd heard.

He nodded, "Yes," as he smiled. "He wanted to ask my blessing. He said he was going to call her mom too, but he wanted to do the right thing. He's a good guy."

Sharon walked over to Andy pulling him in for a hug, "They are a good match," she smiled. He leaned down and pecked her lips.

"They are," he agreed. "He's probably going to propose on New Year's he said. He knows it is cliché, but he wanted a time without the boys around, and he thanked us again for volunteering to watch them. Nicole is getting a family," he smiled.

"So, that would officially make you grandpa material," she smiled as she teased with him.

Andy hung his arms loosely around her, "Yeah, I'm old. I know," he rolled his eyes as he joked with her. "So," he said, testing the waters, "do you think someday you might ever consider being a grandma with me?"

Sharon, knowing full well what conversation he was trying to have with her, dodged it, "Well, of course there will be the day Emily has kids, so yes, we'll both be grandparents."

"Sharon," he gave her a glance that made her squirm.

"Maybe," she smiled up at him. "Maybe sometime in the future I might consider that, Andy," she winkled.

* * *

So, right now, we are to the end of 2011, and The Closer ended/Major Crimes started August 2012 for timeline questions...The Closer went on hiatus at the end of 2011, and it came back in July 2012.


	48. Chapter 48

"I still can't believe you bought them that tent," Andy smiled as he walked back into the living room. It was New Year's Eve, and Sharon and Andy were babysitting. They had just put the boys to bed and were ready to settle in for a cozy evening. He walked up to Sharon and wrapped his arms around her, "Well, you didn't need to buy them toys and such," he gestured around the condo.

Sharon followed his gaze, shrugging, "Why not? I'm glad they could come over here. It's closer to Dean's house, and I have this feeling you and I will be seeing more and more of them,' she smiled up at Andy. He held her in a light grasp, smiling too.

"Yeah, you're right about that. Both boys had a great evening. You even made them macaroni, their favorite. Thank you for doing so much for them. Tent, presents, books, toys," he shook his head. "You're spoiling them."

She smiled, "It's fun to spoil kids; they are great little boys, Grandpa." She leaned up and kissed him, their kiss intensifying as they stood there. They finally broke apart, still smiling at each other. "I've got dessert." Andy's eyebrows shot up, and he gave Sharon a look. She rolled her eyes. "No," she swatted at him. "I really have dessert. Carrot cake. I picked up one from the bakery today."

He winked at her with her statement, "Ahh, I see. That must have been when you bought all those cookies for the boys too?"

She gave a quick shrug, "Perhaps. Carrot cake?"

"Sign me up," he smiled, and the two went about serving their dessert. Sharon had cued up a movie for them to watch, and a few minutes later, they were setup for the evening. Sharon's video chat alerted them a few minutes later they had a call from Emily. Andy paused the movie, and the two connected to her.

"Hey guys," Emily smiled. "Happy New Year!" she said.

"We thought you would be out for the evening," Andy said, giving her a questionable stare.

"Oh, I am. I'm heading out in a few minutes, but I figured I'd wish you a Happy New Year and see what you are up to at," she glanced at the clock, "8:00 your time."

Sharon covered her mouth from laugher, while Andy glared at her. He rolled his eyes, and the two turned back to the screen, "We are having a great evening," Sharon responded. "Total party animals here."

"You look like you are sitting on the couch. Let me guess-watching a movie, and it looks like you have dessert, Dad," she questioned.

"Guilty," Sharon laughed again, this time almost choking. Andy just looked at her like he was going to let her choke. That had Sharon laughing even harder. "Okay," she calmed herself. "Yes, we are watching a movie, and yes, we are having dessert, but we've also done a good deed for the evening and are worn out."

"Do I want to know?" Emily asked cautiously.

"Oh, get your mind out of the gutter!" Andy exclaimed. "We've got Dean's boys here tonight. We've been on grandparent duty this evening while your sister and Dean go out for a fun night."

"Ahh, that does sound fun. The boys are sooo cute! Well, that was really nice of you. Nicole didn't mention it the other day, but we didn't' get to talk long. Ahh, I can't wait to see those guys next time I'm home for a visit."

"Did your sister tell you what they now like?" Andy asked. Sharon started to laugh again, patting Andy's arm.

"No?" she said, interested. "What?"

"Ballet," Andy said with a roll to his eyes. "Suddenly, they think ballet sounds fun. I love that you dance, but I'm not sure about the boys."

"Oh, yea! That's amazing," Emily smiled. "I'll have to talk to Nicole about it more. Dad, accept that ballet is good for girls or boys." Sharon patted Andy's arm, and he just sighed and shook his head.

"That's what I told your dad," Sharon smiled, flashing another smile at Andy. He just chuckled, grumbling under his breath.

"Your mom here has outfitted the house like a toy store," he sighed. "There's now a tent, books, all sorts of toys, and even a sandbox for my house. She went a little overboard," he said. Emily laughed, and Sharon just shrugged. She couldn't deny it. After the trio talked a few more minutes, Emily's friends arrived, and she signed off.

"I love our family, Andy," Sharon smiled, scooting closer to him. He smiled and nodded at her, pulling her in closer. They settled back into their movie, when once again, a few minutes later, Andy's phone interrupted them.

"Ugh," he sighed. "I'm not on call. This better be good. Nicole," he smiled, showing Sharon the caller id. "Hey kiddo. The boys are fine. They had a great evening."

Sharon could hear Nicole even through the phone, "Dad, we're engaged!" Sharon started to laugh at Nicole's excitement. They were happy for them, very happy. She patted Andy's leg as she stood to clear the plates, giving Andy a few minutes to speak to Nicole. The call was definitely made for two reasons: to share the engagement news, but also to check on the boys. Nicole was very attached to her soon to be stepsons, as everyone was getting to be very quickly. With Andy still on the phone, Sharon went down the hall to check on the boys. She and Andy had put the pack n play in her bedroom, and then her guestroom had a queen bed. It had worked well, and both boys were sound asleep. She was closing the door when Andy walked toward her.

"Nicole sounded happy," she turned to him. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her.

"She is. Thrilled. Boys okay?" he asked.

She nodded, "Third time a charm on the movie?"

"We can try," he smiled, leading her back to the couch.

They were able to finish the movie without further interruptions, and then they decided to watch New Year's fireworks on television. Once they had exhausted that, they moved to Sharon's balcony where they settled in her patio chairs together to continue watching the night sky.

"So, a wedding to plan," Sharon said drawing lazy circles on Andy's arm that was settled around her.

He groaned, "More like a wedding to pay for, at least my part." Sharon chuckled, patting his hand.

"Between all our kids, that will be one wedding down, three more to go," she explained.

He nodded, "Yeah, but two girls," he shook his head. "That's going to end up being expensive, especially with the taste both have. One ballerina who shall remain nameless has very expensive taste like her mom, just my observation."

Sharon laughed at that, and the two settled into silence, staring into the sky. Andy pushed on, breaking the silence again, "Of course, there's the possibility of another wedding where I wouldn't mind paying every single dime. I know you don't want to talk about that yet, but I am thinking about it."

"I know," she nodded. "Actually, I have been too."

After that evening, they didn't discuss marriage again; Andy had mentioned it a few times to Sharon prior to New Year's Eve, and hearing her say she was thinking about it too was enough to let it be. He knew Sharon, and he knew how she thought. Sometimes, she overthought ideas, and he wanted to give her time to process it. The wedding topic didn't go away, however. Nicole was bursting with excitement, talking all about her wedding planning. Nicole was set on getting married in July, but because she was stuck in a master's degree internship, she didn't want to get married this coming July. Everyone tried to talk her into a different month, but she was stuck on July; she'd met Dean in July a few years ago, and the two had agreed to get married on their dating anniversary. So, with that set, they pressed forward with a long engagement, a year and a half to plan everything. To Andy, that was good and bad; the wedding costs seem to grow and grow. Sharon teased him about it, but she knew it was bothering him, even though he had said he'd pay for everything. That offer still stood, but he was trying to reign in Nicole a bit from her lavish ideas.

The winter faded to spring, and then even to summer, and soon, Nicole was a year out from her wedding plans. It was July in LA, and it was hot, very hot. Work had been busy for both Andy and Sharon. With the lawsuit out of the way, Sharon wasn't stuck in Major Crimes as much, but Chief Pope had her on a short leash. He was still worried about Brenda's ability, something he'd only shared with Sharon and had her checking on Brenda constantly. That drove everyone crazy, but Sharon couldn't explain what she had been told to do. Luckily, the team had somewhat gotten used to her being around, some of that had to do with her relationship with Andy, and some of that was due to her actual ability. They were all starting to see what Andy saw-she was a good detective who was trying to help them. The team still teased Andy about dating her, but deep down they could all see that something between the two just worked.

On this particular evening, Sharon finished her paperwork first, collected her things, and made her way to Major Crimes. Most of the building did not know about her relationship with Andy. She'd even informed Chief Pope officially, but she wasn't sure he actually knew. She filled out the paperwork and put it in a stack of briefs for him to sign, knowing that he hated reading through her things and usually just stamped it. She'd checked her HR file a month later to find it there, knowing that he hadn't actually read it, or he would have said something to her. Instead, she was sure it got stamped, as she suspected, and his secretary sealed it up and filed it off, as she would have known to do. So, Sharon had followed the rules, but she's worked them to her advantage again. Aside from that and Major Crimes, though, she didn't think anyone else knew she and Andy were involved. It helped that she was attached to Major Crimes so much; it wasn't unusual to be seen with them in or out of the office. Basically, her ties to Major Crimes kept down the rumor mill, and she wanted her private life to remain that, private.

"Good evening, Fritz," she smiled, as she got on the elevator to find him there as well. He must have had a meeting in the building too, for he was also on his way to Major Crimes.

"Evening, Sharon," he nodded. "What floor? Garage?" he asked as he was waiting for instruction on the correct floor for her.

"No," she shook her head, "Major Crimes, same as you, I suspect."

He nodded, and the elevator started again, "Any luck on finding the leak? Brenda doesn't want to believe there is one, but I agree with you that Goldman is getting too much information and before it even spreads through the building."

Sharon sighed as she shook her head, "No. I am so tired of this hanging over my head. I want to get to the bottom of it. I've eliminated a few people, but that doesn't necessarily put me closer to identifying the right person. It's frustrating to not know who can be trusted."

Fritz nodded in agreement, "I think Brenda has finally figured out she can trust you," he offered a small smile. "I know your job isn't easy, and it's got to be hard to be sneered at by every person in this building."

The doors opened, and he gestured for her to exit first, both walking toward Major Crimes, "Yes, it's hard. Thankfully, I'm confident with my job and with my personal life, so I try to do my best and leave it at that. Still, sometimes, it gets the better of me."

"What's the matter?" Brenda asked. She was standing in the middle of the Murder Room when Sharon and Fritz walked in. The rest of the team looked up at her question.

Fritz and Sharon exchanged a glance, and then Fritz looked at Brenda, "Matter? Nothing is wrong. We just happened to both be on the elevator and both were headed this way. I'm guessing we were both in search of people," he grinned, walking up to Brenda. Sharon nodded to the team, who gave her a chorus of "Hi Captain," comments, before she sank into an empty chair near Andy's desk.

"Are you almost through for the night, or are you going to be awhile?" she asked him, offering a smile in greeting.

"Ahh, we are just finishing up," he explained. "Chief is obsessed with Stroh, you know, so we've been letting her rant," he leaned over and whispered. Sharon just nodded, gazing around the room.

"Chief, are we ready to call it a night?" Provenza asked, already standing to put on his coat.

"Yes, go on home," Brenda waved to everyone as she made her way into her office. Fritz followed, giving everyone a goodnight wave.

"Ready to go?" Andy looked over to Sharon as he switched off his computer. "Night, Gabriel," he nodded to the man, as he and Sharon walked toward the exit.

"Lieutenant, Captain," he nodded. "Still don't see it guys."

"Yeah, well, we keep it out of the office so you don't have to see it," Andy fired back. He and Sharon waited until they were down in the parking garage, away from the people in the elevator before they continued any conversation.

"She needs to stop obsessing about Stroh," Sharon told Andy. "She's going to get herself in trouble if she doesn't. Andy, I'm worried that if she continues like she is, she's going to get fired. Yes, he's terrible, but for now, he's a defense attorney she's going to continue seeing in the office and in court."

Andy sighed as he nodded, "I know. I can tell she's on thin ice, and I know you are worried about her. We've tried to talk her out of all this. She is convinced she can get the guy. Sharon, he's a total creep. Definition of a dirt bag. You know the guy is hiding everything. I believe the chief myself! I wouldn't want to leave you in a room to even question the guy. He's total scum, a real psychopath. I think Chief is right, even if she's going about it the wrong way."

Sharon nodded. They had reached her car. Andy was going to follow her to the restaurant they had agreed to for dinner. "Andy, there's still a legal way to watch him. She just wants to go around that. It's her personality, but it will catch up to her if she's not careful."

"I know. I'll watch her back, at least as much as I can. I appreciate all you do for our department. Without you, they probably would have already disbanded Major Crimes and stuck all of us in loser jobs all over the building," he pulled her in. "Thanks," he looked around quickly and seeing no one, he pecked her lips. He stepped back in case anyone did happen to walk near them.

"Let's go eat," Sharon suggested to Andy. He nodded.

"A normal evening-I need that," he said. "I know you do too. I just really want a few normal days at work. Is that so hard to imagine?"


	49. Chapter 49

"Oh no," Andy grumbled in the car as he looked at the caller id. He looked in the review mirror at Provenza, irritated at seeing the idiot sitting back there holding Frank. He sighed and threw a glance at Liz.

"What's wrong?" she asked him as he looked back at his phone. They had just finished at the crime scene and were heading back to the office to start working on the case.

"It's Sharon," he announced to the car.

Provenza pointed his finger at Andy, "See, there. If I've got to hear nagging from this case, you do too."

"Sharon?" Liz spoke up. "Andy, are you dating someone?" she smiled.

"Liz, you know all about it. Sharon is Captain Raydor," Provenza explained.

"Oh," Liz nodded and smiled. "Ahh, yes, Emily," she nodded. "Oh, I know all about it," she smiled to Andy, "but if you love her, why the irritation? That should be reserved for ex's; Louie is good at that."

"I'm guessing she's heard about our little crime scene here," Provenza explained, as Andy put the car back in park to answer. They were just about to pull out.

"Hi Sweetheart," he smiled as he answered, trying that tactic.

"Andy! What is going on? I get a call about a robbery with a possible murder attached. Then, I'm told that two senior lieutenants are the ones who are knee-deep in all this?" she stated. "I didn't have to even ask the names of the two lieutenants involved; the names just came to me."

Andy groaned, as he ran his hand over his face, "Sharon, I'm just leaving the scene now. I'm with Provenza and his ex-wife, Liz. Look, Provenza needed my help, just a quick errand at the end of the day, he promised," Andy said as he turned to glare at Provenza. "We're on our way back to work. Can I stop by your office and talk about this then?"

"I'll be down with Pope when you return. This is going to need to be handled by my division and yours, jointly, I hope. I've gotten most of this story, but did that dog really eat the glove?" she asked.

Andy frowned as he looked at Frank, "Yeah, the dog ate the glove. We've already had Tao looking into it, and the dog should pass the glove in the next day or so."

"Are you alright?" she asked. "Details are a bit hazy about the actual robbery, but I know you were there."

"I'm fine," he waved off. "Just a stupid happenstance here. I'll talk to you when I get back to work, okay?"

Sharon sighed. Andy could only imagine how irritated she was. They were within a half hour of going home. Just a normal day, it had almost been, and now, they were stuck in the office for several more hours now processing a crime scene and murder he and Provenza had stumbled into. Then, there was the smelly dog. The day that could have been nice and easy was now a mess.

"Andy, be safe, and I'll speak to all of you when you get back," Sharon told him. The two hung up, and without a word to Liz or Provenza, Andy started back toward the office.

"I was waiting for screaming," Provenza chimed in. "Do I need to follow you to her office to get front row seats to your 'Chewing Out' party?"

"She's not going to chew me out," Andy waved. "We said our peace; it's done. Above all, we love each other and worry about each other. Yes, she's irritated, but there won't be screaming."

"I thought I'd never see the day," Provenza shook his head. "You are whipped, my friend, whipped."

"I'm not whipped!" Andy exclaimed. "I just understand how to be in an adult relationship. Maybe you should take some notes, Provenza."

"Andy, how is your daughter, Emily, I mean?" Liz asked. "Last I heard, you had just found out everything. It's been awhile."

"Oh," Andy smiled. "She's great. It took over a year, but Sharon and I worked through everything, and we are doing really well. Emily's coming to visit for Labor Day weekend; she doesn't have any performances scheduled. Ricky, Sharon's son, is coming home that weekend too."

"Oh, the happy family," Provenza chimed in as he caught Andy glaring at him in the rearview mirror.

"Liz, did I tell you Nicole is getting married?" Provenza asked.

"No!" she smiled. "Andy, that's wonderful. When?"

"Ahh, next summer. It's still about a year away, but she's busy with plans. Dean, her fiancé is a really great guy. Widower with two young boys. I'm really happy for her. The news about Emily was hard on everyone, but finally, we are digging through it all," he explained.

"Well, that's good to hear, Andy. You always were better at relationships than someone I know," she threw a glance at Provenza. She turned back to Andy, "So, when are you, my friend, going to get married yourself?"

Andy turned red, as he tried to dodge Liz's question. Provenza spoke up, "Ahhh, you found a way to silence Flynn, but Liz, what a sick idea!"

"Louie, you be quiet! Obviously, he loves her, and it sounds like that is mutual. It makes sense the two would want to get married. They share a kid, really a family. Just curious," she explained. "So?" she looked to Andy.

"It's complicated," Andy started.

"Oh, that's code for you don't want to deal with it," Liz pointed out.

"No, no," Andy waved her off. "I do want to get married, very much. I've had a ring for months now. I just don't want to spook Sharon."

"You've got a ring? Flynn, what is wrong with you? You and Raydor? That's sickening. It's bad enough to think about what you did almost 30 years ago resulted in a young woman who is dancing her way through New York, but you want to be legally tied to Raydor? I need to sit you down and talk you out of this, Flynn," Provenza pointed his finger at him.

"Yeah, because you always have the best advice and suggestions. I say that as I am in the car with you, your first ex of four marriages, that smelly dog-sorry, Liz, and we're now stuck at work on a case because you dragged me down to a pawn shop. No thank you on the advice!" he yelled.

"Just calm down, Andy," Liz smiled. "I'm happy for you. So, what's stopping you? Why do you think you will spook her? She's not married, is she?"

"No, she's divorced, and we've been together a long time, obviously through a lot. I just don't want to ask, get her all worked up and worried, to just have her say no. I don't think I could take that."

"She could say yes," Liz smiled. "Life is short, Andy. If you've got a ring, you know what you want to do."

Andy just nodded, as they pulled into the garage at work. They made their way to the elevator, and Liz spoke up again, "Take a chance, Andy. Be happy," she squeezed his arm as they all squeezed onto the elevator. Provenza groaned at Liz's suggestion, and they rode up to their floor.

The elevator opened, and Sharon was waiting. She wasn't just waiting, but she was in her defensive stance, arms crossed, and ready to strike. Andy recognized it, but he also knew her well enough to know she wasn't exactly mad. She wanted to look fierce, but he somewhat speculated that was for Provenza. Provenza groaned as he and Liz stepped off the elevator. Andy hung back, knowing he would get a moment with Sharon.

"Captain," Provenza nodded. "I think you know my ex-wife, Liz," he nodded to her. "This is Frank," he nodded to the dog, "the keeper of the evidence."

Sharon just nodded, and Andy could detect a small smile she was trying to hide at "meeting" Frank. "Lieutenant," she nodded to him. "Liz," she smiled. "Nice to see you again. It's been, gosh, years, I guess," she smiled.

"Hi Sharon," Liz nodded. "Yes, it has been a very long time. Andy was just updating me on things in the car. I'd tell you to keep them out of trouble, but who am I kidding? Trouble finds these two," she laughed. "We really should get together sometime to chat about them."

Sharon covered her mouth; her defensive stance gone, "Oh, that would be interesting," she nodded. "Yes, trouble does seem to find them, right into my office, ususally" she said, throwing a look at Andy. Provenza pulled at Liz's arm. "Come on, Liz. Let's find a place for you and Frank."

Andy put his hands in his pockets and waited until Provenza and Liz were around the corner, "Hi," he rocked back on his feet.

"Hi yourself," she sighed, shaking her head. "Andy, why? We were going to make dinner and do nothing. A normal day! We almost had a normal day at work!"

"I know," he held up his hands, "but, in my defense, I was trying to help Provenza and Liz. I got roped into this, and well, I knew you'd chew me out and have to put something in my file if I left the scene of a robbery and even maybe a murder."

Sharon nodded, looking at the ground, "I'm just glad you are okay. I need to brief Pope on this. Chief Johnson is on her way, and I'm bringing her in when I speak to Pope. This isn't an isolated incident, so get ready for a full-blown case here."

"Okay," he sighed, "so, I should probably be a good guy and take everyone's dinner order?"

"I'll have a salad," she nodded, to him, squeezing his wrist as she started to walk away. This was not the time or place to do anything further. She turned just before she rounded the corner to Pope's office, "Lieutenant," she said, catching Andy's attention, "I'm glad you and your partner are okay."

Andy gave her a soft smile as he nodded and walked toward the Murder Room to start the case.

It was several hours later before Andy got another chance to talk to Sharon. "Like how I managed to get a moment alone with you?" he smiled.

Sharon turned with an almost irritated look on her face, "Alone? We're with Liz and Frank, walking him so he can um, produce the evidence. That's not exactly alone, and don't even hint it is in the least way romantic."

"No," he put his hands in his pockets, walking alongside her. Liz was just a few feet away from them in the grass with Frank, hoping he would take care of business. They were in a small park, just walking, while waiting for Liz. She was visible to them from where they were. "It's not romantic; I know," he shrugged, "but, we do get a few minutes out of the office to walk and talk. It looks professional, and yet, we can be us," he smiled.

She smiled back at him, nodding, "Well, maybe an 'A' for effort, but," she grinned, "we could be at home, alone, done with dinner, and doing a lot of other things."

He groaned and closed his eyes, as she started to chuckle. Noise from Liz had them looking toward her, and she motioned for them to come over to her. Frank was done; he'd produced the needed evidence. It was the next day before the case was finally done too, and by then, everyone was ready to get out of the office and away from Frank.

"I think I deserve a medal for processing that glove," Sharon looked up from her desk when Andy walked in. "You owe me big."

"Yeah," he nodded. "I'm probably never going to live this case down, am I?"

"Probably not," she stood. "Ready to go?"

He nodded, "Would it be okay if we go to my house tonight? I'd really like you to come with me."

Sharon was taken by surprise, but it wasn't an unreasonable request, "Oh, okay. That should be fine. I think I have a couple of suits there."

"You do," he smiled. "I'd just like to go there tonight, that is, if it's okay with you?"

"Of course. My car or yours?" she asked.

"I'll drive. As you pointed out, you processed a glove that had been eaten by a dog, in a case that I stumbled into with my idiot partner. I promise to try and make it up to you."

The two made their way to Andy's car and during the almost hour drive to his house, they made plenty of small talk. It was easy to laugh and talk about Provenza and his odd relationship with Liz. None of the team had gotten much sleep the night before due to their late-night stakeout of Provenza's house, so they were not up for a late evening again.

"I can put on some soup," Andy offered as they entered his house. "I made that big pot of it a few days ago, and there's still plenty left."

"That sounds good," Sharon nodded. "I will start some tea to go with it," she said as she made her way to the kitchen.

"I'm going to wash up and will meet you there in a minute," he said, kissing the side of her head. "I'll be right back."

Sharon made her way to the kitchen and started working on dinner. She heard Andy finishing up, but suddenly, he startled her.

"Sharon?" he cleared his voice behind her. She turned around.

"What are you doing?" she said, her voice breathless.

"I have a question for you, one I've been too scared to ask for a very long time now," he started. "I got to thinking, and no, it's not because I was in a pawn shop," he rolled his eyes, "but, I can't imagine my life without you. You're the love of my life, and I am hoping that you will do the honor of marrying me. That's why I wanted to come back here tonight; I needed to do this now, and I've had this ring here, for months-just to clarify that. It didn't come from the case."

Sharon covered her mouth and then wiped the tears on her face and walked toward him. She laughed, "You don't have to stay down there on your knee, Andy," she said as she gripped his hand. "Come here," she pulled him up.

"I know I've mentioned it before, and you haven't wanted to talk about it, but I'm going out on a limb here. I love you, Sharon, and I know you love me. We have a daughter, a whole family really, and I want this to be a permanent thing," he shrugged.

She nodded, rubbing her hand over his, "Stop talking," she smiled. "Yes, I'll marry you. I love you too," she shrugged one shoulder before he smiled brightly and pulled her in for a kiss. They kissed, a short, but intense one, and he pulled back.

"That's a yes?" he smiled. She nodded.

"Yes," she said. "Just as long as you can promise me that ring was not involved in the commission of a robbery, not bought at a pawn shop, and has a value more than the $49.00 I read about in Provenza's report," she grinned. "Not that I'm superficial, but I want to make sure you didn't get that ring from Provenza." She leaned up to kiss him again, and the two continued to kiss for a few more minutes until they heard the soup start to bubble out of the pot.

"We're going to burn the soup," she smiled into a kiss.

He smiled back, "Don't care."

"I do. I'm starving. I had to work this stupid case the last two days, so I deserve a decent meal. Plus, I was promised some ring that I have yet to really see."

"Oh," he smiled at her, pulling back, "I can promise Provenza had nothing to do with this, other than maybe trying to talk me out of giving it to you."

Sharon laughed, as she held out her hand for Andy to put her ring on. She smiled looking at it, but then she suddenly had a frown.

"What's wrong? You don't like the ring?" he asked.

"Oh, gosh no," she shook her head. "Andy, I love the ring. I just can't wear it."

"Wait, what?" he asked. She patted his chest before he started to get worked up.

"No, I can't wear it at work, at least for now. Andy, I'm still sorting out the leak in the division, and I told you Pope really doesn't know about us. I can't just show up with this beautiful ring," she smiled down at it on her hand. "I am going to marry you. Do not doubt that. I just need to keep this quiet for the time being."

"Okay," he nodded, a frown appearing. "I'm not happy about that, but I do understand. Sharon, you've been working on this leak for months now. I don't want to wait months to tell people we are getting married. Surely, we can come up with something, can't we?"

Sharon nodded as he spoke, her hand still resting on his chest, the ring prominent, "I know," she acknowledged. "Give me a month, maybe less," she offered. "I'm going to get to the bottom of this leak. I have a few ideas. Once that is settled, we can tell everyone. I'll march right in and tell Pope; you can come with me, and when he tries to argue he didn't know, I'll send him right to my file. Can you do that? Can you give me a few more weeks to sort this out? I have a new tactic."

He eyed her before nodding, "Okay. One month. Mid-August, and we tell everyone, kids included, then."

"Deal," she smiled and leaned up to kiss him again. Dinner could wait.


	50. Chapter 50

**Sorry for the delay! I've been trying to finish this story and juggle my other new story. Yes, our favorite idiots are finally figuring things out, but not to worry...we're two weeks from total chaos when Sharon takes over Major Crimes...**

* * *

"We can't possibly tell people right now," Andy sighed, as he and Sharon sat on her balcony talking. It was now the beginning of August. The last two weeks had been hectic at work, case after case, and Sharon and Andy had barely spent any time together. When Andy had a rare night off, Sharon found herself at work. Now, finally, they had a night off together, but they were faced with another dilemma.

"I know," Andy," Sharon sighed. The two had talked about having a small party at Andy's place to tell the team about their engagement. After meeting Gabriel's girlfriend and knowing he was talking about getting married too, they didn't want to piggyback on that, especially when they were already engaged and had been for a couple of weeks now. Sharon fingered her ring, one she now loved very much and hated taking off each day for work. She and Andy were sitting on one chair together, and she patted his leg, "This is a mess. We need to wait. It's not fair to Brenda."

"Yeah," Andy nodded in agreement. Sharon heard him let out a sigh, "I can't believe Chief's mom died. Never saw that coming. I know Chief didn't either; she was worried about her dad, but man, her mom."

Sharon nodded too, "Just shows us life is short," she hummed. She clasped her hand in his, "Makes me happy we have gotten to this point. I don't want to be anywhere but here with you," she smiled. He pulled her closer, and the two continued to sit, thinking through their dilemma.

"Well," Andy started again after he'd thought a few moments, "What about having everyone to my house in a couple of weeks? We said mid-August, and that would be mid-August still. It's not this week, like we had talked about telling my team, but it's close. Chief is going to be grieving for awhile, and maybe getting her focused on you and I joining forces, legally, will get her mind off her mom, at least for a day or so," he grinned. "You two have come a long way, but you know she won't believe or even want to imagine the two of us getting married," he chuckled. Sharon smiled and started to chuckle too.

"Okay," Sharon nodded. "I was on call that weekend, but I can switch it. Maybe you can sell it to the team as something positive for all of you. Maybe Gabriel will bring his girlfriend; there's something off there I can't put my finger on," she sighed.

"She seems nice enough," Andy shrugged.

"I've got to trust my gut, Andy," Sharon nodded. "I'm sure I'll get to the bottom of it. Maybe spending time with her again, I'll figure it out."

"Well, with the party settled, we still need to figure out when we are going to tell the kids. We can't exactly tell the team and not tell the kids for another couple weeks. It will get back to some of them, and that will only irritate them. I don't think we need any additional kids mad at us," Andy pointed out.

Sharon nodded, "You're right. Maybe we can tell them after the party with the team. We could call each of them."

"I don't mind doing it right now, Sharon. I want the whole world to know you agreed to marry my sorry self," he chuckled, kissing the top of her head. She patted his arm. He continued, "So, WHEN are you going to marry me, hmm?"

Sharon hummed, turning slightly in the lounge, to meet Andy's gaze, "I've been thinking. All this about Brenda's mom," she shook her head, "I don't think I want to wait," she shrugged. She had tears in her eyes. Clearly, Brenda's mom passing away was hitting her harder than she or really Andy too, expected. "I love you so much, and with everything we've had go wrong, I don't want to wait. Andy, we aren't getting any younger. Her mom was in good health. She just passed away. I don't want to go day after day, not married to you. I want to marry you, nothing held back."

"So, what are you saying? You want to get married sooner than later, okay," he shrugged. "How soon? When?"

"How about before the party? We won't just tell them we are engaged; we can tell them we got married. Andy, we both had the big church weddings, and those didn't go well for us. Things with the church are a mess for us. Why don't we speak to Judge Grove? We know plenty of judges in this city, and certainly we can find one who wouldn't be opposed to marrying us. Simple. Us. The kids will be frustrated, but when aren't they with us? We've spent years apart, years trying to put things together, another year and a half torn apart, and we are now together for good. I want this for us, no one else."

"You serious?" Andy said, sitting up, pulling Sharon up with him. He wanted to sit face to face if they were going to have this discussion.

"I am," Sharon nodded. "I don't want anything fancy, just you. I don't even care the date, just sooner than later. The wedding itself is only legally binding what we already know, so let's not wait." Sharon smiled at him, her eyes sparkling. Andy knew that look, and he had trouble ever saying no to that look. He grinned too.

"You don't have to convince me. Our daughter is going to be mad," he smiled, "as will all the other kids," he added.

Sharon shrugged, "She's been mad at us before. We'll just tell her to just be glad she's completely legitimate," she chuckled as she bit her lip. "So?"

Andy leaned in and kissed her. It was a sweet kiss, full of promise. When they broke apart, he smiled and kissed her nose quickly. "Deal, but that shouldn't be a surprise to you."

Sharon grinned, clasping his hands in hers, "Deal. This way, we'll be married before Emily and Ricky come to visit. We can celebrate with them, all the kids. That also takes the pressure off dealing with Nicole's wedding. I know you didn't want to overshadow her, rightly so, and this way, the focus can still be on her wedding next year. She's young; she can have the big, grand affair. I know that's costing you an arm and a leg anyway, so let's keep ours just ours. Simple, you, me, the judge," she shrugged, "and, I guess a couple of witnesses."

Andy chuckled, "I almost wish the witnesses could include Provenza," he stood up, pulling Sharon with him. "Almost," he winked. "I think I'll get more enjoyment out of seeing his face at the party when we tell him we are already married."

Sharon laughed, as they cleaned up their dishes from their tea and snack. "Two weeks, and we'll have the team over," she smiled. "Let's get our calendars out and figure out when we are getting married."

Andy held open the sliding door, smiling at Sharon, "So romantic, syncing our calendars to see when neither of us are on call so we can get married. Gotta love our jobs," he smiled.


	51. Chapter 51

**Yes, I know it's short, but I wanted to get this update out. I was out of town (away from what I had started typing on my home computer). Then, when I got back home, the document had autosaved and somehow dropped off part of what I'd typed. So, "It's Your Lucky Day" that I'm getting this short, but sweet chapter out. I'm trying to get this story finished! Thanks for sticking with it!**

* * *

He knocked on her office door and waited for her to grant him entrance. Normally, he would go right in, but Sharon's staff was still all there working, and he wanted to look professional. It was bad enough that he'd been down here more lately, well, for the gossip it was bad, but people just assumed Andy was digging his way out of some trouble he'd gotten into.

"Hey," he offered a slight smile after she told him to enter. Sharon looked up at him, completely exhausted, with a sad face.

"So, Gabriel, huh?" he said as he sank down in one of Sharon's chairs. He held her gaze as she closed her eyes and nodded. When she opened them, he was leaning forward now, hands on the desk, and he reached across to take her hand in his.

"I know you didn't want to believe there was a leak," she sighed, as she met his gaze.

"I didn't WANT to believe it, Sharon," he raised her hand and kissed it, "but, I trust you more, and the writing was on the wall. I knew there was one, but I never would have believed Gabriel."

"You do realize he wasn't exactly a leak, right? I mean, yes, he was telling Ann everything, but he was in love with her. What people don't come home from work and share their day. That's what got me thinking, Andy. After I met her, I started to think about the end of the day. We talk, yes, not about everything, but we talk. We never break confidentiality or anything, but like right now, we're talking."

"Yeah," he said, now his thumb running over hers. "I know, but still, I just don't think I can trust the guy. He apologized to everyone, but I had to get out of there. The difference I see is that you work here. Talking to you about what I can, well, you work here. I guess it's different with the other guys. It boils down to trust."

"Exactly," Sharon nodded. "David thought he could trust Ann, and she completely fooled him. It's an unfortunate circumstance. I know it's not what David wanted at all. He was going to marry her. I'm sure Brenda is devastated too. Here she is, back from burying her mom, and she's got this right away, her most trusted detective."

Andy nodded, "I know. I really wanted to speak to her, but it wasn't the right time. My time off is still good for a few days from now. You'd better believe I'm going to be there to marry you, Sharon."

"Good," she nodded. "I really hoped I wouldn't be stood up at the altar."

"Not a chance, Sharon," he winked. "Not a chance. Now, I came up here to steal you away."

"Steal me away?" Sharon raised her eyebrow at him.

"Yup," he grinned. "It's after 6:00. Your poor staff is out there waiting to go home. You've solved the leak. That alone, you should leave. It's been dogging you for months now, and yes, while hard, it's over. We are going shopping."

"Well, music to my ears," she teased. "What are we buying?"

"Rings," he said with a huge smile. "Now, unless you want me to ask Provenza for some of his old wedding rings for the both of us, you'll get ready and go shopping with me."

"Oh," Sharon tried to hide her smile, but when she met his playful grin, she burst out laughing, "Andy, could you imagine the ring collection Provenza has from all his weddings?"

"I'll tell you a secret, but only because I love you," he leaned in closer. "That old duffer has used the same wedding ring for each wedding. He's told each wife that he went out and bought it, but it's been the same one," he winked.

Sharon covered her mouth and stood, "Well, let's break your best friend's tradition and buy new rings, shall we?

"You don't have to ask me twice," he jumped up. "The thought of you wearing Jack's ring while married to me," he grimaced. "Let's just say that I'm only okay with having had to share Emily a bit with Jack, NOT you and not our marriage."

Sharon nodded, taking his hand, "My sentiments exactly," she winked. "I really don't want to think of Sandra when I put that ring on your hand." She took his hand in hers as he grabbed her briefcase in her other hand. She flipped off the lights and opened her office door.

"Sharon," he pulled back slightly, "your team is still out there," he gestured to their hands intertwined.

Sharon looked down at their hands and back up at Andy. Her green eyes met his brown ones, and she offered a playful shrug, her eyes twinkling. "I don't care. I'm marrying you in two days. Let them talk. They'll gossip like crazy all of tomorrow, and then we are both off the day after that. When we return to work, they can gossip all they want because I'll legally be your wife."

He grinned at that, leaning into her and said, "So, would kissing you at work be on the table too?"

Sharon rolled her eyes, "Try again in a few days, Lieutenant, when I'm a married woman."

Ring shopping turned out to be easier than either expected. They found rings that they loved right away. Andy wanted a simple band, while they found one with accentuating diamonds on it for Sharon. The store promised to have the rings ready the following day, so the two left, arm in arm, to find some dinner.

"One thing we haven't discussed with all of this craziness," Andy brought up, and Sharon raised her eyebrows. "We haven't discussed our two home problem. After tomorrow, we're legally married, and we will own two homes here in LA. I don't like that," he grinned.

"Hmm, that is a problem," Sharon nodded. "I don't like that either. I think one home is all we need."

"Well, yeah," Andy shrugged. "I mean, could you imagine getting married, and then you going back to the condo and me going back to my house?" He frowned and made a face, "No."

Sharon chuckled and covered her mouth while she was trying to think of a crafty response, "Nothing says wedding day like a courthouse wedding, kissing goodbye on the courthouse steps, and then each of us going to our own homes," she continued to chuckle.

"Exactly," Andy crossed his arms, while Sharon finished eating her salad. "So, let's talk. It's not like we can put this off. The wedding is the day after tomorrow, Sharon. I know work has been insane, but we're at that point. Your house or mine?"

"What do you want to do?" she asked.

"I asked you first," he smirked. Sharon rolled her eyes at his childish behavior.

"Well, it is just the two of us. Nicole lives in town. That eliminates one kid. Nathan is not far, and we probably don't have to plan on his spending the night. I guess that leaves Ricky and Emily. She's not moving home, and Ricky, I think will stay north too. So, we don't have to have extra rooms. I-" Sharon stopped and closed her mouth. She composed herself and started again, "You know what?" she smiled. "I am completely leaving this up to you. I am letting you decide, and I am okay with whatever happens. It doesn't make up for all the time you lost with Emily, but that's in the past, and I want you to make this decision about our future. Whatever you decide, I'm okay."

"That's a terrible idea!" Andy groaned. "I'm going to mess it up."

"No, you won't," Sharon shrugged.

"I will. What if I pick the wrong house?" he groaned.

"Andy," her eyes met his, and she smiled at him, "there is no wrong answer. I love either home. My home is with you, wherever that is. I'll be happy either place, but I want you to be happy too. So, think about it, and tell you what-when we get married, you can drive us to the home you want for us. I'm completely okay with that. We'll have our first night in our new home, and we'll move forward from that. No matter what, we'll still have the party at your house, whether we are living there then or selling it, but it's up to you. For once, I'm letting go; I'm not going to be in control of this. I trust you."

"I'm not sure I trust myself with this," Andy grumbled.


	52. Chapter 52

**Short, yes, I know, but this will take us up to the very last episode of** ** _The Closer_** **and into Sharon taking over Major Crimes. Enjoy!**

* * *

They managed to make it to the courthouse on time to get married, even with the five-car pile-up on the freeway. Andy had ranted about it after he'd picked up Sharon. She'd tried to argue that she would meet him there, being the bride and all, but he dismissed it, saying that once again, it would be like the house discussion-they'd get married, say good-bye on the courthouse steps, and go to their separate cars. No. Andy wasn't letting that happen. So, even with Sharon's weak argument of it being "tradition" to not see the bride, Andy had waved her off, explaining that he wouldn't see her in her dress; she as going to change at the courthouse. Besides, he'd argued THEIR daughter in New York was probably breaking wedding tradition more than anything.

So, now here they were at the courthouse. Andy was finally getting over the irritation of the traffic, as he waited outside the restroom for Sharon to finish getting ready. It was only a few minutes away from marrying his bride.

"Flynn!" he heard and spun around. Provenza. Andy frowned. Anytime he and Provenza were together, problems happened. Provenza had Liz with him, and Andy prayed there wasn't some other issue with Frank and missing jewels.

"What are you doing here, Provenza?" Andy asked.

"Well, you're getting married, aren't you?" he asked. "A little birdie told me you were doing the dumbest thing ever and getting married. I also heard you needed two witnesses, so here we are, two people here to witness the worst wedding ever."

"Oh, Louie, you know you are happy for them!" Liz swatted at Provenza and turned to Andy. "Andy, Sharon let this guy," she nudged Provenza, "know about the wedding. She said she knew you would like your best friend to be here. I'm just along so he doesn't look so pathetic at a wedding by himself."

Andy's eyes grew, "Sharon told you? I can't believe it. She did that for me?"

"Apparently, she claims to love your sorry self," Provenza grumbled.

"Oh, she loves me," Andy flashed a grin. "I love her too."

"Oh, save it," Provenza pretended to gag.

"Lieutenant, Liz, you made it," they all heard and turned to see Sharon come out of the restroom. She had on a simple, knee-length ivory dress with a delicate lace overlay. She had a small bouquet of lilies for the wedding.

"Sharon, you look beautiful," Liz smiled. "Louie," she nudged Provenza, "you'd better say something kind to her."

Provenza grumbled and turned to Sharon, "Captain, good luck with him," he jerked his hand toward Andy. "Happy to pass him along to you. Can I ask that you please don't try to have any more children? One Flynn-Raydor kid is enough."

Sharon rolled her eyes, as she turned to smile at Andy. He winked at her, nodding at her dress. Before Andy said anything to Sharon, he decided to irritate Provenza, "Hey, Old Man, go see if the judge is ready. I'd like to talk to my bride."

"Fine," he waved at them. "Do you have everything? Rings?" he leaned in closer to Andy, "I certainly hope you didn't go out and buy a new ring. You could both just use your old ones."

"Of course, we bought new rings!" Andy exclaimed. "I'm not wearing a ring from my first marriage and neither is she! You might go and do that, especially when you've married one of your wives twice, but that's not how we are starting married life. See," Andy opened the ring box to show him, "new rings."

"That probably cost you a fortune! You got her a wedding band with diamonds? It's just a ring she wears next to the one WITH diamonds. You already spent a lot on that, so why did you get her more diamonds?"

"She liked it; I like it; she's worth it; it's pretty, and it's none of your business," Andy said, clearly annoyed.

Provenza started to grumble again, but Liz pulled on him, telling Sharon and Andy, "We'll be with the judge. Take your time."

Andy turned and smiled brightly at Sharon. She blushed, knowing he thought she looked beautiful. She just wasn't used to hearing it or seeing his pure happiness on his face. "Sharon, you look beautiful, breathtaking."

"Thank you," she smiled at him, stepping closer to run her hand down his purple tie. "You look very handsome yourself in that black suit. Nice switch on the tie. I didn't realize you were going to do that."

"Yeah," he stilled her hand as he put his hand over hers and squeezed it, winking at her, "well, I know purple is your favorite, so I decided that if you were changing clothes here, I'd change the tie. Surprised you," he winked again.

"You did," she nodded, humming. "I can't wait to be surprised at the house decision either."

"Well," he took a deep breath, "that could end us up in divorce court if you don't like my decision."

"I'll love it, no matter what," she whispered as she leaned in. "Let's go get married."

The wedding took all of 10 minutes, and thankfully, Liz had brought a nice camera with her. She took several pictures for them, all while Provenza stood behind her and grumbled about the expensive camera. Liz promised to get the pictures to Andy and Sharon as soon as she could. Once they were done with pictures, Liz volunteered Provenza to take them all out to lunch, a place she'd reserved near the beach. She had a friend who owned the restaurant, and when they arrived, they were seated on the patio without anyone else around. They enjoyed their lunch, and soon, after Liz made sure Provenza actually paid the bill, the two left, leaving Andy and Sharon to enjoy their afternoon.

"Well, Mrs. Flynn," Andy smiled as he stared into her eyes, "ready to get out of this place?"

"More than ready," she nodded. "I'm anxious to see what you picked."

"I went out on a limb, so just trust me," he smiled. The two left and started toward the house. 10 minutes later, he made a turn taking them away from any road they would need to take to get to either of their homes.

"Andy?" she asked, puzzled.

He shrugged, "Well, I think I've made my choice on our home. It is one of our current houses, but for today, our wedding day, I figured we needed a nice hotel. We've got the rest of our lives in our home, but today, it's about us. So," he gestured as he pulled up to the hotel, "surprise." We've got a night here to ourselves, and then, tomorrow, we can go to the home I've picked. We'll have a day to ourselves to start to get settled, and then we have to get back to work. At some point during the next few days, we have to tell work and our kids about our secret wedding, but for now, let's just enjoy our time. Work, well, work will be the same when we get back. I packed a bag for each of us, which was no easy feat," he grinned. "I hope you enjoy our very short, but very well deserved honeymoon getaway. Soon, when we can catch a break with work and coordinate some time off, I'm going to take you on a proper honeymoon. Until then, I couldn't just take my beautiful bride home and that be it. We've been waiting for this day for a very, very long time."

Sharon smiled as she grabbed hold of Andy's hand. "Thank you. This is a great surprise. I'm looking forward to our time here, and I would like nothing more than to take a well-deserved honeymoon with you in a couple of months. We do need to look at work schedules and put in for some time off. Everyone will be so stunned we got married, they hopefully will just approve our leave without question. First thing when I get back to work, I have a meeting with Pope and Taylor. That's never fun, but I'll think of this," she gestured to the hotel, "all during that meeting. It can't be that bad if I think about this wonderful day."


	53. Chapter 53

Andy's phone rang close to 1:00 AM. "I'm not answering it," he grumbled and instead, shifted in the bed and moved closer to Sharon. The two had enjoyed Andy's surprise evening at the hotel. He'd splurged on an oceanfront room and further surprised Sharon with dinner on their balcony. It had been perfect; the whole evening had been perfect, except now the shrill ringing coming from his phone was disturbing their sleep.

"You need to answer that, Andy," Sharon patted at his arm. "It could be work or one of the kids."

"I took leave, and I'm sure the kids are fine," he grumbled. Sharon started to climb over him to get the phone, but he finally sat up, "Okay, okay," he motioned to her. "I'm up. Why is Provenza calling me?" he sighed as he picked up his phone.

"You know I'm on leave; you were even there today," Andy said as he answered the phone.

"Look, I don't want to know anything about what you have been doing with HER tonight, but you need to come in for this one," Provenza explained.

"Why? You can handle it, Provenza. I know it's tough I'm not there, but I have every confidence in you," he teased. When Provenza didn't fire back, Andy asked, "What's going on?"

"Something feels off about this one. Chief isn't even here yet, but a body was found being dumped up here, young girl. Odd thing about this one is we have some witness, sounds like a kid on the 911 call, but the little I know about this one, I think we've seen the work of this killer before," Provenza said.

"Like a serial killer?" Andy asked. He looked to Sharon who had turned on the lamp. She was sitting up against the headboard now listening to the conversation, at least what she could hear. Andy turned to sit back too and turned on the speaker so Sharon could hear too. Andy could tell Provenza sounded concerned about this case. "Listen, I put you on speaker; Sharon's right here too."

"Yes, possibly a serial killer," Provenza stated. "Look, I'm not going to be the one to suggest it, and I certainly hope Chief doesn't start going on and on, but it looks like it could be Stroh again. Captain, you know this has been a touchy subject, all this talk about Stroh over the last year, at least."

"Provenza are you serious?" Andy asked. He looked to Sharon who was taking a deep breath and shaking her head. She'd mentioned to Andy that anything involving Stroh was a very sensitive topic. He didn't ask, but he knew Sharon had spoken to Brenda at length about it.

"Do you think I'd be calling you if I wasn't serious, Flynn? Look, that is partly why I am calling you. I'd really like your eyes on this too. I've briefly spoken to Tao, and for now, I'm just keeping this, the possibility it could be Stroh, between the three of us. I know Chief is in hot water over Stroh, and before we get her in even deeper, I need to be sure."

"Yeah, okay," he sighed as he ran his hand over his face. He looked to Sharon and shrugged. She nodded in agreement.

"Lieutenant, we will both head in for this one. Thank you for the call. If this is Stroh, Pope is going to involve me as well," Sharon said. "I can drop Andy at the crime scene and then head to the office," she suggested and looked to Andy. He nodded in agreement.

"That will be fine, Captain. What am I supposed to call you now?" he asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Do I need to specify which Flynn when I'm yelling out the name?"

Sharon smiled warmly at Andy, and he returned the smile before she answered, "Captain Raydor is fine, Lieutenant. I am still Captain Raydor, at least for now. We haven't figured that out yet, and besides, you are the only one at work who knows we got married today. We can deal with the name legalities later after this case. If this is Stroh, it's not going to be an easy case."

"That's why I called," Provenza said. "Flynn, get here as soon as you can, preferably before Chief. Oh, bring coffee; I'm going to need it."

They hung up with Provenza and Andy turned to Sharon, "I'm sorry, Sharon," he sighed. "You know Provenza wouldn't just call me for any case."

"I know," Sharon patted his hand and leaned in to kiss him. "At least we got to enjoy the room half the night," she smiled. Andy rolled his eyes and both got up to get dressed.

"I'm glad I have my extra suit with me." Andy had brought an extra suit in case Sharon had wanted to go out for the evening. Luckily, she had agreed that dinner on the balcony sounded much more enjoyable. "Stroh," he sighed, "guy is a total creep. If he's involved in this one, it's not going to go well with Chief. She wants to nail the guy, but as you and I know, he's meticulous."

"I know," Sharon nodded as she brushed out her hair. She looked to Andy, "Could you pass me my dress hanging there by your suit? I know I wore it some yesterday, but it will do for tonight." Sharon had worn a dress to the courthouse the day before, and then she'd changed into her ivory dress for the wedding. She could wear the dress again, seeing as how she hadn't worn it to work yesterday. It was dark, and she had a jacket to wear over it, so both were able to dress properly for work.

The two finished getting ready and collected their things. The couple knew they needed to get to work quickly, but before they left the room, Andy stopped Sharon as she was rushing around, "Hey," he winked at her, "I promise to take you on a real trip soon. I'm glad we had some time this evening here, but I am going to find time to take my wife somewhere nice with no calls from Provenza."

Sharon leaned in to kiss him, "I'd like that," she smiled and twisted the new rings on her fingers. "Just so you know, I'm not going to take off my rings," she smiled and her eyes twinkled. "We may not have told anyone before we got married, but I don't want to hide it anymore, Andy. We can call the kids as soon as we finish this case. I hope you are okay with this. Now that I have my rings on my finger, I don't want to take them off, not even for work."

"More than okay, Sharon," Andy kissed her quickly.

She nodded, "Good. Let's get going. We need to check out and get the car."

Within the hour, Sharon had dropped off Andy at the crime scene and started to the office herself in his car. She had plenty to work on even if the case turned out to not be related to Stroh. Knowing that Provenza had a bad hunch, though, she somehow thought it would involve the defense attorney. Her suspicions were confirmed later in the morning when she found herself with the team and Chief Johnson.

"Get a warrant," she kept repeating. Andy was irritated; that she could tell. Some of his irritation stemmed from the fact that it was definitely looking like Stroh. Another source of the irritation was due to the fact he'd been called in for work when they had just gotten married, and yet a small part of his irritation, she knew, was aimed at her. Andy knew Sharon couldn't speak freely here. He knew her so well, but that also meant knowing she would not let her job interfere with their personal lives. He understood it; it still didn't mean that it was sometimes extremely frustrating.

Sharon felt a similar frustration. She was doing her job, which often meant, as evident in this case, she couldn't say what she wanted. She had to follow the law, not her heart. She knew Andy was passionate about this case, the team, and yes, even herself, but she was trying very hard to flow the rules all the while she was trying to keep Andy from exploding.

His little outburst about Gabriel not being there to leak information, Sharon knew Andy needed a moment. His comment silenced the whole team, and after Taylor stepped in and helped with some case instructions, Sharon snagged Andy the first chance she got.

"Andy," she offered a sad smile to him, "Honey, you have to calm down."

He sighed, "I certainly hope that is coming from my new wife and not the head of FID because if it is, I guess I need to file a harassment complaint at the use of 'Honey,' Captain," he returned her sad smile and started to nod while he ran his hand against the back of his neck. "Yeah, this one is getting to me, already, Sharon. I know it's Stroh."

Sharon simply squeezed his arm; they were in the hallway by electronics, so they did not have a lot of privacy and said, "I know. I normally wouldn't say anything to you, Andy, but I think a lot of factors are aggravating you today."

He nodded, patting her hand with his. As he did so, his new ring grazed hers, and he smiled, "You are right. There are a lot of factors going into my current mood, one of which is I'd rather be anywhere with you, my amazing new wife; however, I am here- we are here- dealing with the likes of Stroh."

Sharon smiled when their rings made contact. No one had noticed them yet, but considering the sensitivity of the case, neither Sharon nor Andy was surprised. This wasn't the time or the case to bring up their very recent wedding. She squeezed his arm one last time, nodding, "Let's focus on the case. Why don't you go talk to Provenza, find some way to irritate him," she smiled at him. "He's found the witness, and I bet you can help him with all of that. I've got a meeting soon with Chief Pope, although, considering the case developments, he might push it to later today or tomorrow."

"Are you going to tell him I dragged you to the dark side and married you?" he flashed a small grin.

"Maybe," she playfully shrugged. She could tell Andy's mood was improving. "I couldn't get a read on what he wants to discuss, and while I have every intention of telling him we got married, I first need to see what he wants. As you know, he always wants something."

Andy nodded, "I'm going to find Provenza. Promise me you won't head home without checking in with me? I know we might be on strange schedules with this case and might not see each other for a couple days, but I'd really like to know when you head home."

"Promise," Sharon smiled as she clasped his hand quickly before letting it go. Then, she started to walk down the hall. She turned quickly, "Oh, Andy," she said a bit puzzled.

"Yes, Captain," he flashed a bigger smile now. Sharon knew he was using her rank because they were at work, in the middle of his office area, and she appreciated that.

"Ahh, where's home?" she asked as her eyes sparkled. In all the chaos, Andy hadn't revealed his decision about the home they were going to now share. Sure, both still had things at either home, but in asking Andy about going home, she wanted to know where THEIR home was going to be from this point forward.

Andy grinned, "Like I said, promise you'll check in with me before heading home, and then, I'll give you my decision."


	54. Chapter 54

Andy was going to re-fill his coffee when he found Sharon standing in the hall, just outside of Pope's office.

"Sharon?" he asked, walking up to her, taking note that the hallway was empty for the moment. "What's wrong?"

Sharon had a blank look to her face, not a look she sported at the office. Andy, obviously knowing her well, knew something was wrong.

"I, umm, can't talk about it," she turned to him, a frown to her face. She had a stack of files in one hand and changed her posture to compose herself, the files now stuck between her arms as she folded her arms over her chest.

Andy arched his eye, "Can't talk about it? Sharon, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost. This day just keeps getting worse. Did something happen with Pope?" He started to raise his voice, using his finger to point toward Pope's office, "Did he give you a hard time about the two of us getting married?"

"No," Sharon put her hand up to still Andy's arm, patting it so he would lower it and calm down. She met his gaze, "I cannot talk about it," she enunciated each word, trying to get him to understand.

"Chief," he nodded, sighing. "I know your dad has gone from bad to worse dealing with Chief. I can't believe she assaulted Stroh to get DNA," he grumbled. "Sharon, I'm sorry. I should have realized it has to do with Chief. Of course, you can't say anything."

Sharon bit her lip and looked away, "Andy, I really can't get into it, other than to say that yes, everything I'm now dealing with involves Brenda. Everything," she repeated.

Andy looked at her with a questioning gaze, "There's more, isn't there? Crap, he's going to fire her over this," he sighed. "Provenza and I had a feeling. I won't ask anything more, Sharon, and of course, I won't speculate any of this with Provenza. You'll tell me when you can. I know."

"Remember that," Sharon whispered, squeezing his hand, her eyes tearing up. "I need to go home," she told him, catching her breath. "Pope needs me to deal with this," she gestured to the files, "and, I have to meet with him first thing again tomorrow. Andy, solve the case, please. Things aren't going to get better, yet," she enunciated. He took bother hands in his, squeezing them. Any other contact would not be appropriate for the office.

He leaned in slightly, "Go home to the condo," he said quietly, her eyes widening in surprise. "Sharon, you are happy there; we'll be happy there. I couldn't imagine asking you to move all the way out to my house. It's just a house," he shrugged. "I'm not set on living there. I just want to live with you, wherever you are. The condo will be just fine. No yard work," he shrugged, "and with our crazy jobs, we need that."

"Are you sure?" she asked, still trying to recover from the conversation she'd just had with Pope and Taylor about Brenda's future.

"Absolutely," he nodded to her. "I'm going to stay here and solve this case. Some captain ordered me to do that," he rolled his eyes. Sharon nodded and smiled, the first smile Andy had seen.

"Thank you," Sharon told him. "We can start talking about your house after all this."

Andy shrugged, "Already called the realtor," he told her. "I don't want to let this drag out. I called the realtor before the wedding, a friend of Mike's," he held up his hand, "so no, Provenza should not be able to ruin this. He has no ties to this person. The realtor is drawing up all the paperwork and doing the comps and such. He's going to email the information to me, and that, we can look over when we finish with the case."

Sharon cracked another smile, nodding to him. "I'm going home then to deal with all of this for Pope, and if I don't see you, I'll be back in the morning. Be careful, Andy. Things here are messy."

"I know," Andy nodded, "well, I know a little about things being messy. Based on what you can't tell me and your mood, I know it's serious and won't mess up. We'll solve this case. I think Chief already did, even if it has cost her a job."

Sharon left for the condo and didn't hear anything more from Andy until her phone rang later that night. She had been buried in the files Pope had sent with her, and after hours staring at those, she had taken a break to take a hot bath. She had finished with her bath and was getting into her pajamas when her phone rang. She had planned to study the rest of the files in bed, hoping to get some sleep before, what she assumed, would be another very long day.

"Andy, how is the case coming along?" she asked.

"Sharon, it's Chief. Chief, Brenda, Stroh," he got out before he stopped to catch his breath. Sharon started pacing the room, trying to figure out what he was saying.

"Andy, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Stroh broke into Chief's place. She took Rusty home with her, that kid, the witness," he explained. "Fritz is out of town, so she and Rusty were at her house. Stroh broke in, and she shot him after a struggle."

"Is he dead?" she exclaimed.

"No, don't think so," he said. "Provenza and I are on our way there now."

"Okay," she nodded. "I'll call my team and let them now. I'll head to the office myself."

"We just got the call. Pope himself will most likely call you here in a few minutes. I wanted you to know. I wanted to hear your voice and know you are safe."

"I'm fine, Andy," she said calmly, letting out her breath. "Is Brenda okay? Oh, Andy, he didn't-he didn't assault her, did he?"

"No," Andy said quickly and firmly. "She called it in, called for two ambulances. I think Rusty got injured somehow, but she told 911 she was okay. I don't think he touched her."

"Okay," Sharon said, letting out a long sigh. "Be careful," she instructed him. "Please call me when you know more, and I'll start my end of the case. I may or may not see you at her house. You realize FID gets this first, right?"

"Yeah," Andy nodded, "His Holiness might have a say in all this. Case is a mess since it's all intertwined with ours. Stroh got sloppy, but it looks like we finally got him, Chief finally got him."

"Thanks for letting me know, Andy," Sharon sighed, rubbing her forehead. The long day was turning into a long night.

"Be safe, Sweetheart. I'll see you at work," Andy told her. Before he hung up, Sharon heard Provenza start complaining to Andy about calling Sharon 'Sweetheart,' and she had to chuckle at that. She shook her head, got up, and she started making phone calls. It was a big deal when a chief shot a potential suspect in her own home.

Hours later, Sharon stood outside of Pope's office, similar to how Andy had found her the evening before. This time, the shock wasn't just at the reality of Brenda's future, but her own now too. She'd asked Pope for a moment, telling him she needed to make a phone call. If he was going to insist she take over Major Crimes, he needed to hear the whole truth before she did. What a mess this was. Andy was going to be stuck in the middle, and Provenza, he would hate this. Andy had mentioned to her over the last months that if and when Brenda ever left, Provenza was ready and willing to take over the division. Now, here she was, forced into the job. She knew the team well; she'd worked with them, and she was now married to one of them. That didn't change the fact that she might not be well-received. It might be a problem with Andy; the two worked well together at work because they each had their own job. Now, she'd be Andy's boss, and she wasn't sure how she would like that, how he would like that. Separating home and work was difficult enough, and now, that would be even harder. Sharon took a deep breath and composed herself, pushing herself off the wall. She started down the hall to Major Crimes to retrieve Andy. He needed to be part of this; she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Captain," Provenza looked up as she entered. The team was all gathered around Provenza and Julio's desk. A quick glance of the room, Sharon found Gabriel was missing, as was Brenda. That was probably just as well. Things had been really strained since the leak was discovered, and Sharon knew Brenda asking for Gabriel to transfer with her was a good move.

"Gentlemen," Sharon nodded to the group, giving a wide glance to the room. She wanted to make sure no others were lurking around the area. Andy hadn't mentioned the team finding out about their wedding, but she had a feeling it was about to come up here and now.

"Lieutenant Flynn, would you join me in Chief Pope's office?" she asked, tilting her head.

The team all turned to Andy, noting his surprised expression too. "Andy, tell me you didn't do something stupid, too?" Mike groaned as he started to shake his head.

"Sir, really? We already have a mess with Chief! You also keep reminding us of the leak issue with Gabriel," Julio groaned.

"Guys! I didn't do anything. Sharon, I mean Captain," he sighed and shook his head at the slip. Luckily, the team knew they had been dating. "Captain, please tell them I didn't do anything to mess up warranting a visit to Pope!"

Sharon folded her hands together in front of her chest, glancing around the room, "He didn't mess up. That, I can promise."

"Oh, he messed up alright," Provenza grumbled, nodding to Sharon's hands. Buzz was nearby and followed the gaze.

"They got married!" Buzz exclaimed as he pointed to Sharon and to Andy. "Lieutenant, hands out of your pockets. Let's see," he gestured. Andy rolled his eyes as he met Sharon's gaze. She then realized her hands were on display, not something she had planned to do. She dropped them quickly, knowing though, that the time had come.

"Yeah, we got married," Andy said smugly as he shrugged. When he looked up and pulled out his hand, he wiggled his fingers to show off his ring. "We got married a few days ago now," he added. "This crazy case," he sighed, "Provenza even knew and has been sitting on this for days. Go ahead," he gestured to Provenza, "get it all out, everything about how stupid we are to get married after all these years."

Provenza waved him off, "I'll save it for your kids. I can't wait to hear what they have to say. I know you haven't told them because I checked The Facebook last time I took a break, and all their pages were quiet. I figure when you do tell them, all the kids, especially your prima ballerina, will be all happy and giddy."

Sharon smiled, nodding, "That they will, Lieutenant. I'm sure they will all be delighted."

"Of course, the ballerina will just be happy Mommy and Daddy aren't a broken family anymore," he smirked. Sharon pointed to him.

"Watch it, Lieutenant. We are still at work," she said firmly and turned back to the group, "which is why I am here. Lieutenant Flynn, you are needed in Chief Pope's office."

"This is so exciting," Julio grinned. "Pope is going to flip when he hears about this." The rest of the group stood just watching. It had been an emotional few days, and none of them had gotten much sleep. Sharon and Andy's marriage would be discussed, but now was not the time.

Andy waved to the group, "Guys, I'll be back," he looked to Sharon for confirmation that he would return to the group. She nodded.

"Oh, Captain," Julio called to her before they left. She turned, "Congratulations," he smiled. "One more question-we know Chief's days are numbered, and we'd like to replace her purse. Could you help with that? We don't know the brand or whatever we need to know about purses."

Sharon gave the group a sad smile, "I'll be happy to help," she said, her voice catching. She had her moments with Brenda, both good and bad, and this was going to be rough on the whole group, Sharon included. They had no idea what else would be in store. Certainly, their love for Brenda would be hard for anyone taking her place.

"Andy," she said quietly, nodding toward the door. He nodded and followed her, both waiting until they were in the hall before saying anything further. Sharon spun around, "Andy, this isn't just about telling Pope. It is, but there's more, something he just told me was happening."

Andy nodded, "Okay, Sharon, it will be okay."

"I'm not sure it will," she sighed. "Let's go. This affects both of us, home and office, now and the foreseeable future. I had planned to tell Pope about us myself; I'm not afraid of him, but after what he just told me, Andy, things are a mess."


	55. Chapter 55

Sharon wanted to say more, and she planned to try and reassure Andy things would be okay, but the two were interrupted in the hall by Pope himself.

"Captain," he frowned, seeing she was speaking to Andy, "you told me you needed to take care of an emergency and would return to my office. This," he gestured to the two of them, "not an emergency, and what Taylor and I need to continue discussing with you IS an emergency."

"Chief," Sharon turned to him, putting on her best fake smile, "this all ties together. I promise you," and she turned back to Andy, nodding to him. "Lieutenant, would you please come with us?"

Andy nodded and started to follow Sharon. Pope put up his hand, "Hold on; Major Crimes is not privy to this information."

"Chief, I'm happy to turn around and walk right up to my office and deliver my own resignation papers if you do not let Lieutenant Flynn AND myself into your office immediately to let me explain. I do not care to get into any of this in the hallway, as I would assume you don't either." Sharon crossed her arms waiting for his response. Andy was definitely intrigued now; his eyebrows were raised. Something huge was going on, and it was obvious Pope had no idea he and Sharon had gotten married yet, which meant Sharon hadn't had the chance to even tell him yet.

"Fine," Pope turned and waved his hands in the air. "I think you and Chief Johnson may be more alike than I gave you credit." Pope pushed his own office door open, and both Sharon and Andy followed him inside. Taylor was standing near Pope's desk, still waiting to finish the conversation. His eyebrows rose in surprise when he saw Andy was in tow behind Sharon.

"Captain Raydor, why in the world is Flynn here now? Surely, any trouble he's caused, we can deal with that later. This can't be some emergency, not with what we all need to discuss. He's not part of this conversation," Taylor complained.

Sharon cleared her throat, which Andy knew was her way of demanding their attention. She clasped her hands in front of her, "Gentlemen," she nodded again to Pope and looked to Taylor, "if I may?" she offered, asking for permission to speak. She continued before it was granted, "I think this will all make sense if you allow me to explain. As you two have both said, I am good at my job and know what I am doing."

Taylor and Pope glanced toward each other. Andy, having followed Sharon and Pope in, now stood beside her, hands crossed in front of him.

"This all does directly relate," Sharon started. "Your offer, your suggestion," she corrected herself, "to run Major Crimes now," she paused, allowing Andy a moment to catch up with the rest of the room. She wanted to give him a moment to digest everything. Now, he was in the know, so to speak, just as she was. Pope and Taylor still needed a crucial piece of evidence, but Sharon decided she wanted her husband up to speed before her boss and apparently, her other new boss. She gave a quick glance to Andy, knowing anything else wouldn't be appropriate. Taylor and Pope were already eyeing each other and irritated she'd just said that in front of Andy before they even knew why he was here. His surprise registered, although, he didn't allow it to show much to the men. Sharon knew him well, though, and knew the slight twitch of his mouth and slight jerk of his head had been enough to take him by surprise. She also knew his instant correction of his stoic face told her the idea wasn't that far out there, just a surprising one. Sharon continued after checking Andy, and once she saw he'd schooled his features, she continued, "well, there is something that could be an issue. It doesn't break a rule, but it could be a potential problem."

"Captain, we don't have all day; what is it?" Pope asked, now clearly irritated.

"Andy and I are married," Sharon said in her matter of fact tone of voice. She glanced to Andy, not before noticing the shocked expressions on both men's faces.

"What do you mean you're married?" Pope exclaimed, a shocked expression still on his face.

"Rings, promises, license, paperwork, to death do us part married," Sharon stated in an almost mocking way and smiled. She held up her hand, gesturing toward Andy. He did the same, a huge grin finally on his face. Andy despised Taylor and really didn't care for Pope, so any opportunity to catch them off guard, he loved.

"You two," Taylor gestured, "married?"

"We are," Andy nodded. "You can even ask Provenza. We aren't hiding anything; we've been wearing our rings," he pointed out.

"Captain, of all people to claim you follow the rules, I haven't seen anything on this," Pope shook his head.

"Oh, you did, Chief, quite awhile ago, at least when we started dating. You didn't believe me, but you signed the paperwork. We just got married this week, so the new paperwork is in HR. I followed the rules and regulations, and I'm sorry if the newest paperwork hasn't caught up to you yet."

Pope shook his head and walked behind his desk, pretending to look through paperwork. Sharon glanced to Andy and shrugged her shoulders. He eyed her, trying to convey that she'd just gotten a huge work transfer and was trying to determine how this was all going to work. She seemed to get what he was saying with his eyes; the two were good like that.

"Captain, you should have done a better job of this. I had no idea, you two," he gestured between Andy and Sharon, "were together at all."

"Thank you, Chief," Sharon smiled, knowing he wasn't giving her a compliment, but she was going to push back and make it one. "We work hard to keep work and our home life separate. We are also very private people."

"Flynn's not!" Taylor bellowed. "That guy is a walking womanizer, Captain. You really think you're the first lady to charm? Talk to his ex-wife, not to mention all the 20-something's he's dated. Trust me, his reputation is well known around here and not in a good way."

"Hey!" Andy finally spoke up, not backing down from the two of them. "You stop right now. This is work, and she brought me in to deal with a work matter. You are the one being unprofessional bringing up personal issues. Watch your mouth; Sharon has always been professional. Yes, we are married. We just got married. We've been involved for as long as the paperwork states; she turned it in immediately after we started dating again, and yes, I say again because we have a 25-year old daughter too, but all of that was way before work was an issue," he explained, putting all cards on the table. He looked to Sharon, and he could tell she was fine, just ready to be done with Pope and Taylor's fits. "She only brought up our personal lives because for once, it affects our work life."

"You have a daughter, too?" Pope shook his head. "All those times I thought you two hated each other."

Sharon shrugged, "We did, for awhile. Yes, we have a grown daughter, but that is not a discussion for you. She doesn't have a thing to do with this, only to establish that we were involved before, and we are married now. Now that we are married, and since that has been established, you can see why I felt it was necessary to bring Andy in for this discussion. You offered me, no wait," she shook her head, "told me that I was going to be transferred to Major Crimes, to take over the division. I suggested that might be tricky, and this is one of the main reasons why. Yes, it's not against any rule or policy; spouses can work together, but in this case, I'd be his direct boss. You needed to be made aware of all that before just throwing me into that job."

"You work hard to keep work and home separate?" Pope asked, eyeing them as if almost challenging them. "Sink or swim you two," he pointed to them. "Captain, the transfer stands, no negotiation on that. Yes, you can supervise your own spouse; good luck with that because Flynn and really Provenza too, gave Brenda a run for her money most days. Sink or swim, Captain and Flynn. This isn't a transfer that will affect one person; it now affects both of you. You fail, Captain, and you are both gone. I don't care if you retire, work in traffic, whatever, but one chance," he held up his hand for effect. "Mark my words, Captain, you will turn that department around, or you and Flynn can enjoy your married life at home watching game shows all day. Flynn, I hope you are listening too because the screw up is a one-time thing, not just for her. If EITHER of you screw up, this promise will be carried out. You will be reporting to Taylor, who will be Chief Taylor," Pope told them. Flynn, since you will need a different immediate supervisor, Provenza can do that. Chief Taylor will be monitoring, and I mean CLOSELY monitoring, all your actions. There is no trial period; the job starts when you leave this office.

"Chief, I'm happy to go ahead and retire now," Sharon said calmly. "Seems to me you are just waiting for reason to fire both of us."

"Captain, no one else can run that division now. Stay on and don't mess up. Do that, and I'll make you a commander within the year. That, I know, you do want," Pope told her.

Sharon pursed her lips, "Chief, since my choices only include retire or take the transfer with the promise of a promotion, I will take the transfer for now. I'm not ready to retire yet, but I can if I feel you are unjustly involved in the proceedings within my division or targeting Lieutenant Flynn or myself. My real preference would be to stay in FID."

"That's not an option, Captain," Pope cut in to clarify that.

"Yes, as I've been told. I expect my office belongings will be packed up and moved downstairs?" she asked.

"Oh, well, umm, Captain, usually, that's only done for a chief," Taylor smiled smugly at her.

She repeated herself, "I expect my office belongings will be packed up and moved downstairs?" she asked. She heard Andy let out a low chuckle, knowing she wouldn't back down. "If you want me to transfer, effective immediately, and get to work, my things need to be at my disposal, now. I don't operate on a drawer of Ding Dongs."

Sharon could tell that struck a nerve with Pope, but he tried not to show it. "I'll send up someone, Captain," he told her. "Get to work. Chief Johnson's stuff has been removed, and I think she'll just be stopping by to get the last of her personal things. Dismissed," he nodded to them.

Sharon and Andy both turned to walk to the door, but Taylor got the last word, "Flynn, when, and I do mean when, this marriage implodes, you still will both be let go if it affects the workplace, understood?"

Andy turned and smugly shrugged to Taylor, "I'm not drinking, and I won't be cheating on my wife, so I figure I'm way ahead of most of the men in this room. I love my wife, and we'll be as good of a team here as we are at home. Have a good day," he flashed a fake grin, holding the door so he and Sharon could leave.

Sharon walked around the corner in front of the elevators so they could have a somewhat private moment before facing the rest of the team.

"Andy, I'm sorry about that," she closed her eyes and shook her head.

Andy just nodded, putting his hands in his pockets, "We've dealt with worse, Sharon. Let's go tell the team. The Stroh case is a wrap now, so as long as I'm with you, there's nothing to apologize about here at work. Think of the positive-you've already got me on your side. I'll bring the rest of the team along with me. Who knows," he shrugged, "if it gets unbearable, retirement is sounding pretty nice. Just you, me, no kids at home," he shrugged again, "I could get used to that."

Sharon nodded, "Let's take one day at a time now. We've barely been married a week, and already so much has changed."

Andy shrugged, "Look at it this way-not much else could change. I haven't sold my house, so I guess that would be the only other thing that could change for us. The condo, retirement, not a bad deal."


	56. Chapter 56

It had been the day that wouldn't end. Andy was feeling almost as old as Provenza, which was saying a lot. He grimaced at his desk; every muscle in his body ached, and he still had two forms to fill out to close the case. He didn't dare turn toward the office door. He wanted to, but it now housed Sharon, his wife, his boss. Boss. Yeah, that was going to take some time to adjust to hearing, but it wasn't going to always be a bad thing. Granted, the last couple of days, it hadn't been as smooth as a transition as he would have liked. They'd even argued down in the morgue, but they had gotten through that. They would get through this rough transition. Truth was they were both on edge, really the whole team was on edge. The rest of the team wasn't as quick to jump on Sharon's bandwagon as he'd hoped, but on some level, he couldn't blame them. Yes, they were still warming up to Sharon, but they had also just lost Chief and also expected Provenza to get the job. All total, it was a bit of a mess.

Andy offered a quick glance toward Sharon's desk. Wow, Sharon's desk. That was weird still, but in time, he would get used to the idea. He wouldn't have married Sharon if he had any qualms about their working together, albeit that was before she was his boss, but still, they'd spent plenty of cases now over the years working together. If they hadn't killed each other when they hated each other, they would be fine now. Yes, they might argue, but Andy had a feeling that once they got home, they would set up some rules or boundaries for work and home topics. He just hoped the lines wouldn't blur too often. Andy's quick glance turned into a stare, and he soon felt a waded-up piece of paper hitting him in the head.

"Hey!" he exclaimed turning to Provenza.

"Get back to work. Last thing I need is your wife on my case because we can't get our reports done. I may ask for you to be transferred if you don't stop drooling all over her. Maybe we need to put your desk behind a partition or something," Provenza said.

Andy rolled his eyes, "I'm almost done, and I'll be happy to trade you desks," he gestured to his. "I'm sure the captain would love to have her right-hand man outside her door."

"He's already there," Provenza grumbled. "If you ask me, I'm still too close to her. I'm not even sure I'm staying on here. I may throw in the towel."

"No, you won't," Andy told him. "You and I both know if you do that, you have to split your retirement with Liz, and we both know that's not happening. You like Sharon just fine. You wouldn't have come to the wedding if you didn't."

"You went to the wedding?" Julio piped up. "With all this mess, we never did hear about the wedding."

"There was a lot of blah, blah, blah," Provenza complained. "Then, I almost lost my lunch when they kissed. Still gives me nightmares," Provenza shuddered. "Do that in here," he pointed to Andy, "and I'll write you up myself for a hostile work environment. Try me. I might be the first one to call out the captain for any inappropriate behavior, but I'll have witnesses. We don't need to see that."

"I don't think you will have to worry," Andy said now irritated. "She's as professional as she's always been. Wish you could have heard her with Pope and Taylor. That was classic. Those two were almost ready to run and hide. She's got their number for sure," he nodded.

"Well, I think she's just great, and I think it's so cute you two are married. I can't believe I've been given the opportunity to work here," Amy piped in, a smile on her face that extended from ear to ear.

"Let me give you one piece of advice, Sykes, and I know Flynn will agree-the captain hates people trying to suck up to her. She can see right through it. She much prefers a good mind and deductive thinking. Work on that and drop the cheerleader routine," Provenza stated.

"Lieutenant, what do all of your kids think about this," Buzz gestured. "She's your boss, and now you are married. I know you've got several kids between you, right?"

"We do," Andy nodded, "four kids. I've got two from my first marriage, Sharon has a son from her first marriage, and then we share Emily."

"You have a daughter! I thought you just got married. Wait, how old is she because I thought the captain was older than that," Amy said, now a totally confused look on her face. Provenza signed and covered his eyes with his hands. Julio just shook his head and turned to Tao. Andy groaned, and Buzz started to turn red. Andy finally spoke up.

"Our daughter, Emily, is 25. Yes, we just got married, but obviously, we've know each other a lot longer than that," he said as a flashed a grin and turned back to his computer. "If I ever plan to get home and call the kids to tell them about all of this, I'm going to finish my work."

"They still don't know?" Provenza asked.

Andy stopped and turned back to Provenza, "How would they know? You dragged me back in here right after we got married to deal with the Stroh mess, and that snowballed into Sharon now in that office," he gestured behind him, "and then, we got this grocery store mess. I haven't, we haven't," he corrected himself, "had time to call any of them. Besides, they are coming this weekend, so we'll surprise them now with everything then."

"Don't forget Rusty Beck is still a thorn in everyone's side," Buzz nodded to Sharon's office where Rusty was sitting in the conference room adjacent to her office. He was eating a burger, something he'd asked to have for dinner. The team wasn't sure what Sharon was planning to do with him.

"I do not plan to get stuck all evening waiting here for Rusty Beck's new foster family to show up," Provenza stated. "That is definitely not in my job description."

"Yeah, I'll find out about that," Andy nodded, signing off on one of his papers. He stood and dropped the paperwork on Provenza's desk, nodding toward Sharon's office. "I'll go ask her what the plan is for Rusty. We all need to get out of here."

Andy knocked and heard Sharon tell him to enter. He smiled at her as he did, closing the door behind him.

"Listen, about the morgue," he started, "I know we got into it downstairs. Things got a little heated, but I'd like to talk about that and boundaries in general when we get home. I really want to get a long hot shower, and I might sleep for a couple of days. I can't wait for some peace and quiet. We both need to rest up if we are going to deal with the onslaught of the kids this weekend."

"Andy," Sharon said, trying to stop him from his ramble. Andy finally caught up, realizing she'd said his name. He stopped and looked at her.

"Sharon, what's up? Oh, sorry, you want me to call you Captain in here too?" he asked, a slight roll of his eyes.

"Andy, no," Sharon shook her head. "I'm not going to ask you to do that, in here, even just around the team. Yes, you'll need to follow protocol when around anyone outside the team, but that's not what I want to discuss."

"Okay," he nodded, a puzzled look on his face.

"Andy, I've been trying to find a place for Rusty," she said as she turned to look at him in the next room. Andy followed her gaze, and then his eyes met hers as she looked back at him. He could see THAT look in her eyes.

"No, oh no," he waved his hands at her. "I know that look. That's the 'I want another kid look' that you and I both know isn't possible between us, but I've seen you with that look around babies. He," Andy pointed to Rusty, "is not an infant you rock to sleep. He's a full-grown teenager with more problems than you and I even combined."

"I want him to come home with us," Sharon stated. "He needs protection for now, at least an environment he can't run from, and Cynthia can't get anyone else to take him. If we lose him, Stroh goes free. None of us want that."

"Sharon, we just got married," Andy sighed. "We already have four kids, and we're living in the condo!"

"It will be temporary; Cynthia said she was working on placements, and Andrea is doing what she can in the DA's office to get this case assigned and fast-tracked. Everyone wants this to end soon. Andy, he needs help, and if we can be that bright spot for a week or so, I think we should do that."

"Sharon, we aren't even on Cynthia's list of people," Andy complained.

Sharon flashed a wide smile at Andy, "With you saying that, you aren't putting up a fight; you are just pointing out a potential hurdle. I can take care of that hurdle, and we should be able to take him home."

"No, that's not what I'm saying!" he exclaimed. "Sharon, there's no telling if he's dangerous. You want to bring him into our home? I don't like that. What if he does drunks or drinks? We don't need that kind of problem."

"Andy, Cynthia said all of his medical check-ups were good, and she said the doctor reported he had a clean bill of health. I don't' have other specifics, but that much she could share with the police. Andy, please," she flashed her eyes at him.

Andy ran his hand through his hair and looked out Sharon's office toward Provenza's desk. Provenza was sitting there, leaning back, arms crossed, staring at Andy, almost like he was gloating. Andy knew Provenza had no idea what was going on, but in the moment, it sure looked like he did.

"A week at the condo," Andy pointed to Sharon. "That's the deal you and I compromised on right now. Tell Cynthia we can help her with emergency care now. Otherwise, the condo is too small, and we are too old to take on a teenager with the mess he has."

Sharon smiled at Andy, "I can agree to a week. Now, we just need to tell Rusty and take him home. Oh, the kids are going to just love him this weekend!"

"Great," Andy sighed, shaking his head. "They will think we've gone off the deep end-married, you are my boss, and now we have a homeless teenager living at the house. Just great."


	57. Chapter 57

**We've come to the end! Thank you for sticking with this story and all the comments you've left. Yes, I know it's sad often when stories end, but this seemed to fit. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Two Months Later...**

Andy sighed as he walked out onto the balcony. Sharon was already there, arms draped over the side, her elbows resting on the railing.

"Don't jump," Andy grumbled in a joking manner. He saw Sharon start to silently chuckle.

"And, why would I do that?" she asked softly as she turned to him, now her back resting against the railing. She was smiling softly at him, and he walked to her, putting his arms loosely around her waist.

"It's been a rather strange couple of months," Andy sighed as he kissed her forehead. Sharon wrapped her arms around him and looked up at him.

"Yes, true, but we are still here, together. I think we've had just about anything thrown at us we could imagine, yet, still here," she gestured to the condo balcony.

"That is part of the problem," Andy sighed again. "Are you sure you want to stay here in the condo with Rusty too? Sharon, this place is tight for the three of us. We could look for something else."

She nodded, playing with his shirt. It was a simple navy blue t-shirt; he had on sweatpants with it, ready to relax for the evening. She looked up to him, "I'll move if this is too much," she told him, "but, we did agree we wanted to keep one of our homes. Yes, I know that was before Rusty looked like he was going to be a permanent fixture, but I really like the condo. I'm sorry your house sold. It would have been a good option."

Andy agreed, running his hands up her arms, "Yeah, great timing on that," he groaned. "I wasn't even out of the building that first night with Rusty, and we get an offer over asking price. That realtor really did know what he was talking about suggesting I list it a tad lower than the comps. Can't believe we got that high of an offer the first day it listed," he chuckled.

"It is LA," Sharon shrugged, "but to be fair, at that point, we had no idea Rusty was going to be staying with us."

"Right, because the deal was a week. I guess, Captain, you would point out on some technicality that we never agreed when that week would start," he winked.

Sharon grinned at Andy's logic, "Very true. And, to be fair, we did agree to a 30-day notice with him, so really, we are all over the place with our promises on changes. I guess that just means we will have to stay right here, in the condo, with Rusty."

Andy nodded as he sighed, "Didn't see it coming. Even with the way your eyes glistened that first night at the station when you were trying to convince me he'd only be with us a week, I never saw it coming that he'd stay until he is 18, and knowing you," he paused and looked down at Sharon to meet her eyes, "he's never really going to leave. Sure, there will be a day he'll move out, have his own life, but he's part of the family, for good now."

Sharon smiled and offered a small shrug, "We did today just help Rusty get his independence. I guess if we are going to help his father sign away his rights, we best offer him a place to live, a family to join."

"Guess we should," Andy chuckled. "So, we have my kids, your kids, an Emily, and now a Rusty. If that doesn't say blended family, I don't know what does."

Sharon nodded, "True, but it will be fun being a parent with you for once. I know Rusty's mostly grown, set in his ways, but he's got a lot of missed childhood in there, a lot of things to still learn. Yes, he's lost a lot of his innocence, but he's very vulnerable and needs a set of good, stable parents."

"That he does," Andy nodded. "Who would have thought?" he sighed.

 _Rusty had come to stay with that for that week Sharon had agreed to initially. The week ended up going over the weekend when all the kids were home for a visit. It hadn't been smooth sailing all week; Rusty had put up quite a fight to not have to stay with them. That was also news to him-them. Andy and Sharon had left separately, Andy needing to go to his own house to get a few things and make sure it was clean now that it was for sale. He'd listed it only the night before with the realtor, and he hadn't even had time to go home and put things away that might be sitting out. The realtor had assured him that wasn't an issue; Andy was clean and tidy anyway, so it would be fine for a day or so. Then, the realtor had shown the home that morning, and by the time Andy was on his way to his house to collect some of his things that night they talked about taking Rusty for a week, he had a call with a very generous offer. He'd wanted to accept it right then, but he'd told the realtor he needed to run it by his wife. So, Andy had called Sharon, who was still at the office with Rusty, and she'd agreed they were crazy not to take the offer. So, before Andy even got to his house and before Sharon even got to the condo with Rusty, Andy's house had sold. Both truly expected Rusty to be with them a short time, or they might not have sold Andy's house._

 _Sharon finally took Rusty home that night, much later than she'd wanted. Andy had told Sharon he'd be home eventually, but now, with the house sold, he had told Sharon he would bring a good amount of his clothing with him that night. So, he ended up staying at his house longer than expected, but that gave Sharon time to get Rusty situated._

 _Rusty hadn't been excited at the idea of the spare bedroom, even horrified with Sharon when he discovered suits in the closet, "Someone married you?" he'd told her, and Sharon had just brushed it off, telling him that yes, the suits belonged to her husband. Since Sharon and Andy had barely been married a couple of weeks, they hadn't had any time to move things around in the condo, much less bring Andy's things over. Sharon moved the suits, promising herself that she would clean out her closet that week to make room for Andy. Rusty had tried to camp on the couch that evening, but Andy put a stop to that. Sharon had sent him a text when he was finally on his way over telling him that Rusty refused to stay in the spare bedroom and was camped out on the couch. When Andy came in with two suitcases and an armload of suits and other hanging things, he tossed them on top of Rusty on the couch. That quickly got Rusty up, and once again, the horrified look returned._

 _"What, you think I'll hurt her so you're staying here too as some extra police protection, Lieutenant?" he asked. "Don't you knock?"_

 _"I don't have to knock," Andy rolled his eyes. "I live here too, and you are not staying out here on the couch, not unless you want to sleep on top of these bags. Get down the hall into the spare room Sharon showed you."_

 _"You live here?" he asked horrified. "Wait, you're the husband? You work with her, really you work for her, and you're the husband?"_

 _"Boy, you're a real genius, you know that," Andy rolled his eyes. "That would be why I'm in all those pictures over there too," he nodded to Sharon's desk where she had several pictures of the two of them. Rusty finally walked over, bent down, and squinted at the pictures._

 _"This is like police brutality, making me live with two police officers. I'm sure Cynthia will move me tomorrow," Rusty told him._

 _Andy shrugged, "Maybe she will, but for at least tonight, and as long as you are here, you stay in the spare room."_

 _Rusty groaned and looked to the pile of clothing on the couch, "What's up with all the stuff? Wait, did you like move out? Were you two fighting, and now you have to move back in? Let me guess, I'm going to be in the middle of all your fights."_

 _"No, quite the opposite," Andy told him. "We just got married a couple weeks ago. With work, we haven't had time to move any of my things. I just came from my old house, and today's as good as any to get both of us moved in here."_

 _"I'm not moving in," Rusty told him._

 _"Fine by me," Andy said, "but I am. Now, go to that room. Sharon and I will take you shopping tomorrow for some basics, but knowing her, she probably is down the hall finding some toiletries for you."_

They'd made it through that first night, the next day, and the following only to have all the kids come home for the weekend. They'd only told the kids they had a few things to discuss when they all came home, so finding out that Sharon and Andy had gotten married as well as taken in Rusty had been surprising. Most of the kids weren't surprised by the wedding. Emily was thrilled for her parents, with Ricky possibly even more excited for his mom. Andy's kids had been happy for him, but still a bit unsure about everything. They didn't know Sharon as well, and both were still dealing with the Emily news or trying to adjust to it. Rusty's presence had been explained as very temporary, but as the weeks continued, and Rusty remained, none of the kids seemed surprised.

Sharon's spare room was very feminine, so they had taken Rusty to Andy's house to "shop" a few days later. Combining two households was a huge job, but with Rusty staying with them now too, they wanted him to feel comfortable. Rusty had initially asked to use the comforter set in Andy's spare room, as it was much more "guy looking." He'd also taken several sets of Andy's towels. He had been surprised to find a nice chess set at Andy's house, and that became his too. Rusty admired Andy's extensive book collection, and that also moved to the condo.

After that first week, Sharon had spoken to Cynthia and told her Rusty could stay until more information about his mom was available. That information came a couple weeks later when they located her in Reno. Andy took Rusty to the bus station to meet his mom, but somehow, neither Andy nor Sharon was surprised when his mom didn't show. It was the next morning that Sharon and Andy called Cynthia and told her Rusty could stay as long as needed. Cynthia had even warned them that might be until after the trial or he turned 18, whichever came first, but both had said it was okay. They weren't going to turn out a teenager whose own mom had abandoned him now twice. After that, they went back to Andy's house, where Rusty picked the spare bedroom set to become his. Sharon's set was feminine again and not Rusty's style. He'd also picked out a desk and chair, and quickly, Rusty's room really became Rusty's room. They stored some of Andy's furniture and kitchen items for the kids; each of the kids seemed to be in need of something or other, and by the end of the month, they'd emptied Andy's house. Rusty had helped with that a lot, and he finally seemed to relax.

Finding out about Rusty's dad had been tense and caused a lot of stress for a few weeks. Daniel turned out to be the dirt bag Andy said he would be. Andy and Sharon had been wary of him from the start. Andy had told Sharon that he didn't trust him the first night.

 _"Sharon, I smell dirt bag there. Mark my words-something is off, and we'll get to the bottom of this," he'd told her._

 _"Andy, I'm not about to let Rusty go, not if our instincts are right. He's just started school and is finally starting to settle down here. We've got to find a legal way to keep Rusty here," she had told him._

And, they had. Daniel was the dirt bag Andy said he was, and after he assaulted Rusty, it was very easy to legally keep Rusty with them. Now, here it was, October. Rusty was legally in their care for the foreseeable future, and they were fine with it. It wasn't the care-free wedded bliss they'd imagined, but somehow it was better.

"Sharon, Lieutenant," they both heard and turned toward the living room. Rusty was standing there, a paper in hand. "I wanted to show you that I got an 85 on my math assignment. I've never done that well in math before."

"That's wonderful, Rusty. We are very proud of you, and you'll get caught up very soon. Rusty, we've told you to call him Andy," Sharon nodded to Andy.

"Yeah, kid, tell me why you're okay with calling her Sharon, but I'm still Lieutenant?" Andy asked.

Rusty pursed his lips in thought, "I don't know. I guess I hadn't thought about it. At work, that's what people call you, well except for Lieutenant Provenza who just yells Flynn at you all the time. Calling her Captain sounds weird," he looked to Sharon, "but I can't explain why calling you Lieutenant makes sense."

"Well, you can call me Andy. Looks like you are going to be here with us for a long time, which we are very happy about, so feel free to drop the formality," Andy told him.

"Okay," Rusty shrugged. "I guess in time, it will happen, right? It's like everyone at work with you Sharon, calling you Flynn."

Sharon chuckled as she nodded, "Yes, well Chief Taylor and Chief Pope have both sworn they will never call me that."

Andy shook his head, as he laughed too, "Those two are such a-"

"Andy, language!" Sharon exclaimed.

"Lieutenant have you told her about the 'Flynn Fund' Lieutenant Provenza has started?" Rusty asked.

Sharon looked up to Andy, "What is the 'Flynn Fund,' and should I be worried?"

Andy rolled his eyes, "It's Provenza's get rich quick scheme. He's collecting money every single time Taylor comes in the room as a way to irritate Taylor. He's got the whole team seeing how many times they can say Captain Flynn in front of Taylor, just to make him mad. Actually, he's got the team doing it when anyone outside the team comes into the room. Somehow, the team is into this and has been suckered into paying for it too. Whenever someone says Captain Flynn with Taylor, they put a dime into the jar, and whenever they say Captain Flynn in front of someone who isn't Taylor and isn't part of the team, they put a nickel in the jar. Ask me why they are willing to pay for that-I don't know," he sighed. "I told them I was exempt from it since Flynn is my name too. I swear Provenza is going to keep that money for retirement even though he says he's going to buy you a huge new name plaque when he gets enough money. Now, he might just do that because it would irritate Taylor to no end."

Sharon closed her eyes and sighed, "My team is crazy."

"You're just figuring that out?" Andy joked. "Sharon, we are long past crazy, but you love us anyway."

"Some of you, yes," she opened one eye and smiled to Andy. She looked to Rusty, "Rusty, Andy and I were talking and hope you will stay with us."

Rusty shrugged, "I thought I already was, I mean, until they move me somewhere else."

Andy gestured toward the living room, "Rusty, the only place we plan to move you is maybe to a dorm room or something after you turn 18 and graduate. What Sharon and I are trying to say is you can stay with us permanently, until you are 18 at least and want to go anywhere else. I believe you've lucked out with things here."

Rusty offered a small smile. He didn't know what to say, but he finally shrugged, "So, what happens if they move you to a nursing home before I'm 18? I can stay there, right? You know, you'll need to be spoon fed or something. So even there, I'm sure I can be useful, but sure," he shrugged as if he was trying to play it cool, "I'll stay here with you, you know, at least until they cart you off to the nursing home."


End file.
